140 hogs rescued after Smithfield truck overturns in Virginia

A tractor-trailer hauling livestock overturned on Virginia Route 40 in Sussex County, Virginia, on Monday, triggering a rescue operation for over 140 hogs.

According to the Virginia State Police, the truck, which was carrying pigs for Smithfield Foods, went off the road and tipped over in the vicinity of Tyrus Road. The driver, Gregory Montez King of Clayton, North Carolina, was not injured but was charged with reckless driving and failure to keep proper control, reported local TV station 3WTKR.

Due to the wreck, several of the hogs escaped from the trailer, and some were pinned inside. Virginia State Police, local fire units, and the Virginia Department of Transportation all responded to the scene. VDOT established detours at Cabin Stick Road and Courthouse Road to route traffic while the responders worked to secure the scene and begin rounding up the animals.

Smithfield Foods sent personnel to assist in the recovery, working with emergency responders to minimize stress and injury to the animals. Despite their efforts, 28 hogs were euthanized after sustaining injuries in the rollover. The other animals, more than 140 in total, were cooled, stabilized, and eventually taken away from the scene.

According to Swineweb, Smithfield Foods thanked emergency responders for their quick and effective efforts, saying: “We want to thank the Sussex County and Stoney Creek Volunteer Fire Departments for their swift response and outstanding support in keeping the hogs cool and safe. Their efforts minimized the loss from this accident. We also want to thank the Virginia Department of Transportation for efficiently managing and rerouting traffic around the incident.”

While livestock hauling accidents are rare, complex logistics and high standards are required to ensure animal welfare during transport. Smithfield has not indicated any disruption to its operations.