A controversial artist who planned to allow three piglets to starve as part of an exhibition to raise awareness of the mass meat production processes has had to close the show after the animals were stolen.

Three starving piglets were taken from a former butcher’s warehouse, according to the Copenhagen police. The artist said he wanted to wake up society about animal mistreatment.

Three piglets have vanished from a controversial Denmark art exhibit in which they were deprived of food and water as a form of protest.