Free Vegan Hot Dogs Given Out at Gasping for Life Relaunch

Vegan campaigning organisation Viva! has relaunched its Gasping for Life campaign, which raises awareness of the fact that 90 per cent of UK pigs die inside carbon dioxide gas chambers.

[Bristol, UK] – Viva!, the UK’s largest vegan campaigning charity, gave out 250 free plant-based hot dogs on Wednesday (10 June 2026) and installed posters at 80 tube stations across London, as it relaunched its pivotal Gasping for Life campaign.

At Soho Square Gardens, campaigners spoke to the public about the nine million pigs a year killed inside carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas chambers in the UK, a slaughter method known to cause the animals intense suffering. The outreach was supported by a raft of educational materials to take away, covering everything from animal welfare to vegan recipe ideas and easy pork swaps.

Those who completed a short quiz, meanwhile, were able to claim a free plant-based hot dog kindly supplied by best-selling brand THIS, complete with their choice of sauces and toppings.

“There’s a belief in this country that we never slaughter animals in a cruel, inhumane way – but 90 per cent of the UK’s pigs die screaming in terror and agony in gas chambers, taking up to two minutes to lose consciousness as they suffocate,” says Viva! campaigner Craig Thorpe. “Most of the people we spoke to were horrified to discover that gassing is such a widely used killing method. And those who already knew about it were only aware because of work by animal advocacy organisations, such as Viva!’s Gasping for Life campaign. The pig industry would prefer consumers not to know about carbon dioxide gassing – but people deserve the truth.”

A ‘Breath-Taking’ Multi-Touchpoint Campaign

In addition to its Soho Square event, eye-catching posters have gone up in 80 underground stations across London, targeting millions of commuters. A cat, dog and piglet sit below the words: “They all want to live, but one is going to be gassed to death*.” Below, the poster reads: “You can help stop this. Will you?”

Viva!’s unmissable cinema truck was also travelling round the city on Wednesday, displaying a short film that shows behind-the-scenes gas chamber footage. Most pork consumers will never have seen such confronting footage before. Shocked passers-by were seen staring at the van as the realisation of what they were witnessing dawned on them. Follow-up conversations with Viva! campaigners revealed the deep disgust and sadness they felt. One man expressed his anger that pig gassing is currently legal, calling it “horrific” – before being directed to Soho Square to try a delicious plant-based hot dog.

Gas Chambers – Anything But Humane

Viva!’s Gasping for Life campaign directly addresses the suffering caused by CO₂ gassing. Although the term ‘humane slaughter’ is widely used in the UK, harrowing slaughterhouse footage gathered by activists shows pigs gasping for air, squealing and thrashing around while being gassed. This is because the carbon dioxide mixture forms an acidic layer on their eyes, nostrils, mouths and lungs, making them feel as if they are burning from the inside out. 

A report published in 2025 by DEFRA’s independent Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) confirmed that CO₂ gassing causes pigs “pain, respiratory distress and fear”. Shockingly, the AWC’s predecessor, the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC), first said in 2003 that using high concentrations of CO₂ to stun and kill pigs was “not acceptable” and that aversive gas mixtures should be phased out within five years.

That was 23 years ago – yet millions of pigs continue to suffer this fate every year.

In its Animal Welfare Strategy for England, released last year, the Government pledged to launch a consultation on phasing out the use of CO₂ for killing pigs, but there has been no action since. While the country waits to see what decision-makers will do next, consumers are being urged to ‘make the switch’ now – to ditch pork for one of the numerous delicious and affordable plant-based alternatives available at supermarkets across the UK.

Viva! also has a raft of free materials and information available on its website for those interested in adopting a balanced vegan diet.

“No one has to be complicit in this cruelty,” adds Thorpe. “Most people have no idea that pigs are lowered into gas chambers in this country. When we showed the public the reality, the shock and anger were immediate. People don’t want this done in their name and every food shop is a chance to refuse it. Choosing vegan is a statement about what we will and won’t accept, both as individuals and as a society.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• Viva! is a registered charity (no. 1037486) and the UK’s leading vegan campaigning organisation
• For more information on Gasping for Life, visit here – viva.org.uk/gasping-for-life-pigs
• For interview requests, high-resolution images or further information, please contact Rachael Simpson-Jones, PR manager – rachael@viva.org.uk