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 used as props in an art exhibition in which they were supposed to starve to death were stolen from their makeshift gallery, a former butcher shop. Animal rights activists railed against the showcase by provocative Chilean artist Marco Evaristti,