The Saga of Petunia

…or How We Became Unsuspecting Pig Parents
By Jennie Staub

Last Tuesday started out normal enough.  Little did we know how far from normal the next few days would become. My husband, Jay, and I woke up, fed dogs, cats, and chickens, drove to work, and decided to have lunch at one of our favorite restaurants where our friend Julie happens to work as a server.  As always, we asked to be seated in her section.  When she saw us, she immediately rushed over and without preamble asked if we had purchased our new farm yet.  We’ve been on the hunt for a new place with more acreage and more privacy and had told Julie a few weeks prior about a place we’d found further out in the country with eight acres and how, if we bought it, we planned to add to our menagerie of cats, dogs, and chickens with maybe some pigs and goats.  When we told Julie no, we didn’t have a new place yet, she sighed heavily and said how much she had hoped we did because she was going to ask a huge favor of us.  And here’s where the story gets really interesting, really fast.

Julie told us that her brother had been given a pot belly pig by a friend who, in turn, had gotten her from another friend who works at a local animal shelter.  When her brother mentioned to this friend in casual conversation that he was thinking of getting a pig to raise, his friend took him to mean a pig as a pet (we assume) and knew that a pot belly pig had been turned in at the shelter by some folks who said she wandered into their yard.  Since coming to the shelter no one had come to claim her so away she went to Julie’s brother. 

The only thing wrong with this picture is what Julie’s brother meant was he wanted to get a pig to raise for food and he had no intention of keeping a pig as a pet.  Some of his less enlightened friends (think Beverly Hillbillies-type folks) heard him mention that he needed to find a new home for the pig because he did not want to keep a pig for a pet.  Seeing a flashing neon sign saying “FREE PORK”, they offered to take the pig off his hands, have her carved into pork chops and bacon, and both sides would stock their freezers. 

Needless to say, Julie and her husband, Jerry, were appalled and beside themselves when they heard this but were in no position to take her since their neighborhood was not zoned for pet pigs.  They had been going to her brother’s house for the past week to feed and care for the pig, which they came to adore and had named Petunia, all the while trying in vain to find someone, anyone, willing to adopt her and NOT slaughter her.

I think Julie viewed us as Petunia’s last hope.  She was practically in tears telling us how the very next day her brother’s backwoods buds were coming to take Petunia away and straight to the butcher.  We agreed with her that these people were unconscionable to take and kill a pig that had never been anything other than someone’s pet.  Feeling awful, but not knowing what else to do, we left it at that, finished our lunch, and went on our way.  But I couldn’t stop thinking about that poor little girl and how I could possibly help save her from what seemed an almost inevitable fate.

On the way back to work, I thought of my sister who lives about 60 miles west of us and is very plugged in to the north Alabama animal rescue community.  I contacted her, told her the story, and she began working her contacts.Very soon she contacted me with good news.  It turned out one of her good friends, Amber, who is actively involved in rescue and fostering had her own pot belly pig, coincidentally also named Petunia, and was willing to foster our Petunia and try to find her a home…..but there was a catch.  We had to get the pig to her, some 60 miles away.  Neither Jay nor I could afford to take time off work.  Julie was scheduled to work also; however, Jerry had the time and a truck but not the financial means.  Julie doesn’t make a lot at her waitress job and Jerry is currently unemployed.  I gladly offered to give them gas money if they could deliver Petunia and they jumped at the offer.  It all seemed to be coming together and we both agreed we would sleep soundly that night knowing Petunia had a safe place to go.

The following morning, Wednesday, Jerry went to his brother-in-law’s house and got Petunia in his truck to make the long trip to drop Petunia off with Amber at the veterinarian office where she works.  Amber would get her home from there.  All seemed to going well and I breathed a sigh of relief that Petunia was safe from the butcher and would be well cared for until a home could be found.  The original plan was that Amber would keep our Petunia with her Petunia in her backyard, and work on finding her a forever home.  By this time in the process, I was already sold on adopting Petunia myself IF (and it was a big if) I could figure out a place to keep her.  My dear husband, on the other hand, was blissfully unaware of my decision.  We have two acres at our current residence but none of it is fenced except for a portion of the backyard where the dogs stay and three adjoining garden plots which are set up with welded wire fence.  We have been using them as extra roaming space for our flock of chickens.  I decided we could retrofit one area to be fit for a pig and estimated that we could have her back with us in a week or two. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans….

I awoke the next morning, Thursday, to an urgent text message from Amber that said she was terribly sorry but didn’t think this was going to work out after all and needed me to come get the pig.  It turned out that our Petunia was a good 70 pounds heavier and several inches taller and wider than her Petunia and she was afraid to leave them alone unsupervised, plus our Petunia had charged at her dogs upon seeing them.  To make matters even worse, Petunia had bitten Amber’s foot the previous evening in her anxiousness to get to the food that she was bringing her.  Amber was just afraid she was going to be too much to handle.  My heart sank.  What were we going to do now?  By this time, I had sold Jay on the idea of having a pet pig (surprisingly easier than I expected) and we had a quick brainstorming session.  We decided we could get something put together by Saturday. We asked Amber if she could possibly keep Petunia until we could make it over Saturday afternoon to pick her up.  She had a 10x10 chain-link kennel that she sometimes used for rescued dogs and she could put Petunia in there for a couple of days.  Now the clock was ticking louder and we really had to get to work.

Friday afternoon we both left work after lunch and ran to our local feed store to purchase a truckload of straw bales and a large molded plastic dog house similar to the one Amber said Petunia was already sleeping in at her house.  The fenced area I wanted to put her in had been our garden this past summer and still had all of the tomato cages, the remains of the plants that had just recently died off, and snaking through it all a long half-buried soaker hose. 

All of that had to be torn down or pulled up, and the plants dug up and removed, specifically the tomato plants, because I know they are poisonous to many animals.  We worked HARD for several hours and finally had a double stacked row of straw bales along the fence Petunia would share with the main chicken run, effectively blocking her view just in case she decided to try and “play” with the chickens.  We had a large pallet we had kept to use as a foundation for a new dog house but hadn’t yet so we brought that out, put her house on top, and then stacked straw bales around it for insulation.  The last bales we stacked one tall along the opposite end of the pen where the fence is shared with one of the older garden plots that the chickens are allowed into each day to scratch and explore.

We knew from Amber’s description, and a few pictures she sent me, that our little Petunia was not so little after all.  She was a big girl weighing in at perhaps 100-120 pounds and just a little shorter than knee high.  Amber had also tried putting a makeshift harness on Petunia the day she got her and Petunia freaked out, telling Amber that no one had ever harness or leash trained her.  Our original idea of leading her out on a leash, picking her up and placing her into the bed of the truck went flying out the window.  After reading about ramps on the Pigs 4 Ever website, I told Jay that’s what we needed – a nice sturdy ramp with little cross sections of wood tacked on so she could get traction and not slip…AND it was a job I was assigning to him.  He nodded his head and assumed the mantle of patient long suffering he wears whenever I decide we need to adopt a new pet and he is tasked to help.  Soon after, the sound of his table saw could be heard whining away in the garage and soon there emerged a very nice ramp.

Amber worked until noon on Saturday so we planned to leave our house in the late morning.  This would give us plenty of time to stop at Tractor Supply on the way to pick up pig chow, suitable food and water bowls, then on to Amber’s house to load Petunia and get back home with plenty of daylight left to get her settled in.  One of our three dogs sleeps in an XL wire crate each night so we borrowed it to transport Petunia and put lots of nice fresh straw in the bottom so she would feel more secure and her hooves wouldn’t slide.  We loaded up the rapidly made but surprisingly sturdy ramp in the truck bed alongside the kennel and headed west.

For those of you who have pet pigs, I’m sure I’m not telling you anything new when I say wrangling a pig the size of Petunia and getting her to go where she doesn’t want to go and to do what she doesn’t want to do is no small feat indeed, but when that pig doesn’t know you and has recently been shaken up from being shuttled from one place to another and another, it’s practically impossible.  We were woefully unprepared for just how difficult it would be getting her out the small fenced area where she had been sequestered, along approximately 15 feet of fence line, around the corner, and through the gate where we had backed the truck and lowered the ramp.  I believe it took us at least seven attempts (maybe more), and several handfuls of dog food as an enticement, just to get her to the gate.  Once we got Petunia to the open gate, Jay got behind her and partially closed the gate so she couldn’t back up, and then it was up to all three of us, with more dog food dropped up the ramp, to push, pull, and bribe her all the way up the ramp and into the kennel.  Jay and I had just experienced our first, but I’m sure not last, up close and personal encounter with a creature whose personality traits had spawned the word “pigheaded”.  We caught our breath, thanked Amber again for being so gracious to take Petunia in,then we headed back home.

Once we arrived home, it was surprisingly easy to get her into her new pen.  We backed the truck as close to the gate as we could and lowered the ramp.  With Jay using a blunt wooden garden stake to gently encourage from behind and me waving a bowl of her new pig chow under her nose, it only took just two tries to get her to make the trip back down the ramp.  She made a beeline for the southwest corner of her new pen, squatted and pee’d a gallon.  With that accomplished, she leisurely explored all four sides of her pen, sniffing and grunting her apparent approval. She inspected her house by walking in, burying her nose in the straw, and coming back out with straw draped over her head.  Seemingly satisfied with her new digs, she settled in to eat her dinner.  I stayed out with her for a while to let her get used to me and eventually she stood still for me to scratch her back.  She bowed her back and the next thing I knew she flopped down on her side for a belly rub, grunting happily. At that point I knew I could tell Julie that the saga of Petunia was going to have a happy ending. 

It’s been only a week since she came to us and already she has grunted and squealed her way into our hearts.  Cold weather arrived here today, a bit earlier than expected, and next week is forecast to be even colder.  We will be building her a lean-to this weekend so she will have a better place to stay warm and dry that is much larger than just her little house in the midst of the straw bales.  Her new Busy Ball is on order and should arrive tomorrow.  Next up is a harness and leash so we can begin that training process.  I look forward to the day when we are comfortable enough to allow her to roam and graze outside her pen and she can finally know that she has nothing to fear ever again.

More On Potty Training....

Since help with potty training is one of the most requested e-mails I get here I'm going to share what I have done and do here with my house pig(s). 

Get your pig on a schedule! A routine makes all the difference in the world. When Oshay was little he didn't have much of a routine he was just put outside to run the yard and go potty. He had no idea that there is a difference between play time and potty time and sometimes there were accidents. Once this was pointed out to me I made sure he was on a schedule and watched his routine. I noticed that he would pee pretty much right away after being put outside and with watching him I realized that he would pee again in another 20-30 minutes. Get to know your pigs routine so that there aren't accidents.

He was normally taken out every 2-4 hours with the last potty time being around 10-11 at night. It was when he was a little over a year old that he let me know that he no longer needed to go out that late in the evening...7-8p.m. was fine.
Even now at 7 there are days that I have to make sure that my little guy goes potty when put out for potty time. He is fed in the morning then taken outside to potty while I feed the other pigs. Now depending on the weather he might graze a little, go potty and graze more as he will be out for several hours.

It took more than once for me to figure out that when the weather is bad I need to close the screen door to the patio or he will turn around and go back in while I am feeding the other pigs. This forces him to stay out and gives me time to get the others fed. I then have to lead him back into the yard where we now walk around a bit until he goes potty...the whole time I am telling him go potty. Once he has pooped and peed he is free to wander the yard or come back inside.

Because he has to go down a ramp to get outside I do take him out morning and afternoon/evening. I DO NOT assume that he will do this on his own even now. So please do not assume that just because you put your pig outside to potty that he knows that is what he is supposed to do. Walk him/her around until they go potty.

Now to anyone that is new to having a pet pig. Yes they can be litter box trained, but I can't stress enough to forget the litter box and take your baby outside. We have found over the years that even pigs that were litter box trained grow out of using the litter and want to go outside.

As a rule our pigs do not like rain, snow or cold weather...the same as most of us. This means that on those days we need to put on our rain or winter coat and go out with them. They will be fine in the wet & cold as they are only outside long enough to go potty. Though you may have to be creative getting them out the door.

I can't stress enough that litter boxes don't work in the long run and training never ends...meaning you need to stay on top of them and make sure that they are going potty when put outside. I am also a firm believer that ALL of our pet pigs should be going outside to potty.

Good luck!!

Old and Older Care For The Mini Pig

The pet pigs in this area probably give us some of the best data out there for working with the older pet pigs. They have been in the same home since their youth for the most part and have lived lives as house pets intertwined with their humans as close companions and friends.

Knowing these pigs has been a privilege and a learning experience. To have watched them go from the youthful days through maturity into the senior age and now some beyond, makes them very special.

Since we now know that the average expected life span is more like twelve to fifteen years rather than twenty years it gives us a new framework to think about. What is considered a senior and what is considered old? Just as in humans, it depends on the pig and as in humans the physiology of the individual comes into play. We change the care of the pig as the pig dictates the need for change.

The older the pig gets the more it slows down and the slower its body functions become. Remember the times when your friend was young and you increased the food so that he would have adequate nutrition to grow the bone needed when he was mature? Then you moved on to the worry that he might be getting too much and you had to watch the weight?

Well, you have come full circle with the old pig and it is time to start watching again. Not for weight gain but for weight loss. Old pigs take more to keep going than a you pig does. When a pig reaches the teens it is time to watch closely and be ready to up the feed rations again.

Their digestion is slower along with their ability to process the food given, so it's important to watch closely on these old guys and start before it becomes a problem for them. It can be told from experience that it is harder and takes longer to put weight on an old pig than it is to take weight off a mature pig.

This could be an important factor should your old pig become ill. They must have some reserve energy supply to work with if expected to come through illness with ease.

Neutering The Potbellied Pig - (For Your Vet)

This is a highly technical article, meant for vets, on the procedure for neutering a pot-bellied pig.
The following was written by my vet to help vets that are not familiar with the Potbelly pig. While we realize that most of our pet vets do know how to do this, this was written in hopes that you might give it to someone who has a vet that is not familiar with our animals.

There are still far too many cases of our pigs not surviving this operation because the inguinal ring was not closed or the pigs were done "barnyard" style which does not work on our pots like it does on the farm pigs due to more of the testicles being so close to the body of the pig. If you receive a question on this from a new pig mom maybe you can pass it along to them for their vet to read.

Hopefully we might save a life. Phyllis

NEUTERING THE POTBELLIED PIG

Smaller pigs of 150 lbs or less are masked down with Isoflurane gas and oxygen per their size. Larger pigs that are harder to handle can be done with an injection of Rompan and Telazol mixture. Rompan: 1mg per pound, Telazol: 2 mg per pound of body weight. Mixture of both can be put in same syringe and given either in the neck muscle or in the muscle over the hip.

The patient is placed in dorsal recumbency and the scrotum and the ventral side of the prepuce is clipped with clippers. Betadine surgical wash is used to prep the area and is sprayed on the surgical field.

Incision is made along the median Raphe at the base of the scrotum and the incision is continued but not through the external tunic of the testicles. The testicles are pushed cranially through the skin incision. The external tunic is pulled free of the distal scrotum.

Blunt dissection is preferred as cutting the tissue could lead to bleeding that in turn could cause a hematoma in the scrotum post op. The spermatic cord is clamped and then tied off proximally with 2-0 vicryl. The suture is transfixed and then the spermatic cord is cut distal to the clamp. This proximal end of the spermatic cord is placed back into the inguinal canal and then clamp is removed. The stump is checked for bleeding.

The exterior inguinal ring is closed with 2 or 3 horizontal mattress sutures of 2-0 vicryl.

If the external inguinal ring is not closed there is a high probability that a hernia may develop as pig recovers from anesthetic.

Inguinal Ring

Inguinal Ring

The second testicle is removed and exterior inguinal ring is closed in the same manner as above. The skin is closed with a sub cuticular continuous suture using 2-0 vicryl. Pig is then given an injection of Procaine Penicillin appropriate for his size even though sterile gloves and instruments are used. This antibiotic is given prophylatically.

Dr. Paul Myer DVM
Hawthorne Animal Hospital

Zoning: The Do's and Don'ts. Check Your Zoning BEFORE Getting A Pig

There are many that have fought the battle on this issue. Some we have won…some we have lost. There appears to be no one way to do it and most of these battles depend on how well you communicate with the bureaucracy along with the mind set of that bureaucracy.

PROBLEMS YOU FACE:

The Dept. of Agriculture classifies these animals as swine. No matter how many proclamations we have, no matter the number of letters we have, it will still be the same. As long as we are required to blood test as the swine do we will be classified as swine. While we may have letters from individuals in the Dept. of Agriculture stating that these are pets…it does not change the bottom line.

It would not be cost effective for the Dept. of Agriculture to change the rules to suit the few thousand pet pigs in the Country. Also consider how could they draw the line between the pets and the herds that are not considered pets, but who are still not considered meat producing animals.

LOBBY POWER BY THE PORK PRODUCERS:

They are not going to allow us to travel with impunity place to place as long as our animals are capable of carrying or transmitting swine disease to the pork that they depend on for a living. We have to understand that we are dealing with the farm mentality not people who keep pets.

The fact that our pets are for the most part spayed or neutered and that they are not breeding animals is not of interest to them. The fact that most of the disease problems that we are blood tested for are diseases affecting breeding of the animal which makes it mostly a non pet problem is also of no concern to them.

At this point in time there is no way to separate the two. Even if they were willing, where do they draw the line between pets and those kept in herds that are not really pets, but certainly not meat producing animals.

A dubious outcry from some quarters who even though they claim to love the pigs seem to come out of the woodwork every time a zoning issue is brought forward. These people are ahead of you on almost every front and have had more time to get organized against allowing zoning. They have not been totally up front with any of us and for sure are not fair in the scare tactics that they use with the city fathers.

POPULARITY OF THE PET PIG:

While this is a good thing for the unwanted pigs out here it makes the battle for zoning even harder. There are fewer and fewer people who are willing to ask to keep their pig and as we all know, numbers count with the bureaucracy.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Can we change the stand of the Dept. of Agriculture? That is very doubtful. At least not in my lifetime do I expect a change in the laws regarding the potbellied pig.

Can we hope to gain the lobby power of the pork producing states? No we can't. We do not have the numbers nor the commitment nor the money.

Can we refute the group fighting against zoning and make our voices heard. Yes, we can, but only if we do it carefully by keeping the WELFARE OF THE PIGS as our first and foremost concern.

The first thing that we can all do is, NEVER, NEVER place a pig, give a pig, sell a pig to a permanent home without checking for OURSELVES if this is a zoned area!! Once that pig is in that home IT IS the pig that will suffer when its found to be illegal. DO NOT PUT THE PIG AT RISK. To do this and fight the battle later is not fair to the pig that is possibly going to end up in a sanctuary or worse.

PICK YOUR BATTLES VERY CAREFULLY!

Do not just jump in and decide to fight for all the pigs that you come across with zoning problems. Do your homework first. How did this pig come to be living there? How long has the pig lived there? How did they get the pig?

Some of these people who have had their pig for a while never thought to ask if it was legal. However, there are those who knew and did it anyway or they were not told by whoever gave them the pig that it could be a problem. By asking a few questions you should be able to pin point where the problem is in your area.

If that pig has been in the home for a period of years than it probably is a person who just never thought to ask if the pig was welcome. If however, the pig is a young pig or they have only had it for a few months then the warning light should go on. ASK WHO PLACED THAT PIG WITH THEM. If one name keeps coming up or one business or one pet shop etc. then you know where to start your campaign to keep these pigs from being placed in a dangerous position in the first place.

PICK YOUR BATTLE ACCORDING TO RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP ONLY!

Last year I remember a case that came on the pig lists on the computer. A lady was being forced to give up her pig and there were numerous calls of help put out. Upon further investigation it was found that this lady had been cited for her dog and twice for her pig. One citation was for unsanitary conditions.

This is NOT a battle that should be taken on! Responsible pet owners do not get cited for unsanitary conditions nor do they get cited for animals who are repeatedly getting out. One time maybe, repeatedly, No. In these kinds of cases your reputation loses all credibility and substance should you decide to step in.

WHEN YOU DO HAVE A LEGITIMATE BATTLE!

The most important thing to do is have your "ducks" in a row beforehand. Keep your letters short and to the point without emotion. The bureaucracy does NOT like to read. Keep your letters centered around what will affect THEM as a city or town. They really are not interested in how we feel about our pets, but they will listen if it is going to affect them and their jobs in any way.

Be ready and able to dispute any erroneous information that may have been given to them about the pigs as pets. Give them the facts and state them to their benefit. 

To counter some of the negative information put out there give them numbers and facts to work with. In some cases they have been told that it will cost the city in funds to allow the pigs as pets, saying that it means more shelter room, more personnel, etc.

Counter this with information that you can get by writing to animal shelters across the country and asking for statistics and numbers of pigs brought in and if it has increased the cost to the shelters to take on these animals. Have they had to add extra personnel to take care of the problem and has it added to their expense, if so how much?

DISEASE FACTOR AND RABIES:

One of the misconceptions that is being given to the cities and towns is the disease factor. There have been studies done that will give you in black and white the number and types of disease that is transmissible to humans by pigs, dogs and cats. The pigs come out the very best!

One argument used to the cities by certain negative groups is the rabies question. The way this comes across to the city is nothing more than a scare tactic, but one that must be countered from the very beginning. It is worded in such a way as to be borderline truthful, but not complete.

In every letter that I have read that was sent to cities contemplating the allowing of pigs, one issue stands out as they say that "pigs are warm blooded animals and therefore able to catch and transmit rabies and that there is no approved vaccine for use in pigs" Trying to get to the bottom of this one was a real bear.

Most vets concede that yes they are warm blooded animals therefore it is possible for them to contract rabies, but they also state that it would be highly unusual for this to happen. There is no recognized vaccine for pigs...this is true. Because there HAS NEVER BEEN A NEED FOR IT!

Whatever protection that the pig has, it is not in his genetic makeup to be susceptible to rabies. Just think of all of the thousands of farm pigs across this country that live in wooded areas with a multitude of wildlife with no rabies vaccinations! The JAVMA last month released a very long article from the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta that says it better than we ever could if you want to read the whole thing.

Also a letter from my vet who apparently is a very brave soul. Ask your own vet for a record of how many pigs he has come in contact with rabies. Your chance of contracting rabies from a pig is about the same as being hit by a meteor while sitting in your living room watching TV! Get it in writing!

DANGEROUS ANIMAL

To refute this erroneous and biased argument, give figures on animal bites from animal control officials. Numbers of people bitten by pigs in the last year for example. These cities and towns are being given the idea that they are going to have herds of rabid, aggressive pigs running amuck through their streets. This is an easy one to counter.

MORE AND MORE UNWANTED PIGS

Let them know that responsible pet ownership is not nearly the problem in pet pigs that it is in other species of pet animals. Just because they are legal does not mean everyone will want one. Cite the JAVMA article that gives the percentage of 34% of homeless pigs is due to them being zoned out of their homes by cities and towns.

Give them the facts that these animals are by nature, sedate creatures that sleep a lot, do not bark, and basically are cleaner about their habits than dogs. These are the kinds of facts that you need to get across when writing to the cities and towns during zoning. Things that THEY may be worried about in their capacity as city Fathers.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK ON EACH CASE

Read the city or town ordinance carefully and check the wording. Some are simple and say no swine period. Some say no farm animals. Some say exotic animals are not allowed and some say that exotic animals are allowed. Use their wording to your best advantage.

For example: if exotic animals are not allowed...it's easy to prove that these pigs by this time are no longer exotic animals! They have been bred in the United States for a period of years, so for all intents and purposes, they are no longer exotic.

USE THE ULTIMATE WEAPON

Close your argument with what may be our best weapon yet. Let them know that you are more than open to a license fee for the pigs! If they are afraid of increased costs on shelters and manpower, this can be a great thing for us. It is the one thing that has been proven to work with the dogs and it will work with the pigs.

The responsible pet owners will not object to paying a license fee to keep their pet, the city will get extra money, and it will discourage those who cannot afford to care for a pig or who do not want to be bothered about applying for a license. This in turn helps those who are committed to being good pig parents.

While we would all like to think that we should be allowed to have the pet of our choice this is not the case. We all know and accept the fact that these pigs are not the pet for everyone, but for those of us that know them and love them there is no other pet. It is a shame that there are some really great pig parents out there who may never have the chance to enjoy one of these unique animals.

As a person who believes in responsible pet ownership being the first criteria for happy animals and happy people it is a difficult situation for me. I do know that it has been my experience for 30 years of working in humane circles and animal welfare that YOU CAN NOT LEGISLATE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP!! It is there or it’s not there. If it could be legislated away we would not be killing over a million dogs a year due to irresponsible owners.

It is my thought that placing one of our pigs in a non zoned area just because we think it should be our right to have one is as irresponsible as the owners of those animals that died for no reason other than they were brought into the world by people who did not think about their future.

Helping The Rescue Pig

I would like to take a bit of time to talk about the rescue pigs. This is for all of you that routinely find yourselves taking yet one more little porker that needs our help. This may only be a one time thing for some and an everyday occurrence for others. Just what is the best route to take when these homeless ones come to us?

First we need to realize that we have no background information on the pig. We may only have an idea of the environment that the pig came out of. We have no knowledge of any of its proclivities in the genetic make up. In other words, we really know squat about the animal. While all of us know the care needed for a porcine friend we may not necessarily know what is good to do at one time versus what may be good the next time. And what may be too much for the animal to stand in the beginning, another healthy pig with a good background would have no problem handling.

Over enthusiasm can be almost as dangerous as not doing enough. If a pig comes into your home in very bad shape then those are the ones that need a careful evaluation before any kind of medication, worming, mange control or hoof care should be done. Stress for these animals is at a high point while general health is at a very low point. A pig with a healthy immune system and in good shape will throw off excess medications.

A debilitated animal cannot do that and by putting the pig into this situation you could possibly be open to even more serious problems. What do we consider safe? Here at Pig Pals when a new pig came in we would evaluate his health to the best of our ability. These are pigs that have no clinical symptoms of illness or disease, but just a general unhealthy look...very thin, very scared, showing signs of mange, showing indications of worms, etc.

In all cases the number one priority is to let the pig rest and to feed well. We feed these pigs in bad shape a small amount very often throughout the day and evenings for a week or two. You do not want to overload a stomach that is not used to food. Small amounts often, is better than a large meal.

We do not try to catch, to pet, to trim or anything else for a period of time. As for the ones with mange and worms…FEED THEM! We put vitamins in the food from day one. There are very few cases of mange or worms bad enough to cause death if that pig is still up and eating. The worming and mange treatment can wait until the pig is stable and better able to handle the medications. We just feed enough to keep the worms happy too.

Most of these pigs after a couple of weeks are more in condition to work on. Even then we do not do more than one thing at a time due to the stress involved, no matter if it be from medicine or hoof trimming or worming.

Remember, you have no idea of the background of this pig so you really have no way of knowing what may be too much for him to handle. Patience is truly a virtue. If your concern is other pigs that may be there and that this new pig may be contagious then quarantine them if possible. Quarantine is probably the most important word in a sanctuary. At Pig Pals we do quarantine, but just as a precaution against disease not because of mange or worms. We do not worry too much about the mange and worm issue as all other pigs are treated on a regular basis and even if they come in contact the control program should cover it.

I guess what it amounts to is making sure you move slowly with a pig that appears to be in bad shape. Take time and give them a chance to gain some ground before you try to fix the things that are wrong with them. This method has certainly worked for us over the years and it is so much easier on these poor animals that depend on us to make them well and happy again.

CHRISTMAS FROM BENTLY BATTOE'S POINT OF VIEW

His stocking is hung with the greatest of care
Not that this means he will leave it there.
He snuffles for presents and we learned from the past,
If we don't hide them well, they will not last.

The nativity scene is set out in a row,
Why he must rearrange it we do not know.
He moves the stone animals out of their beds,
And uses the wise men to rest his head.

Maybe he feels that his scene is lacking,
For there are no porkers to give him backing.
Ben gazes at us with a baleful eye,
We can almost hear him asking Why...?

Should there not be a pig in this special scene
Of love, compassion, and man's greatest dream?
Of course, we say, you should not be left out,
As we place a stuffed pig with a big rubber snout.

Our Christmas story is different by choice,
As we feel our Bently deserves a voice.
When it comes to love and the Christmas spirit,
A pig beats a camel no matter how you hear it.

Ben knows that God in His infinite wisdom,
Created pigs for just this reason.
A laugh, a chuckle, love and devotion,
What more could we ask of God's world in motion.

We humans could learn a lesson well taught,
By porkers in general who give us this thought.
A laugh a day, a clear conscience at night,
A slight forgiven, a wrong made right.

These things so easy for our porcine friends,
seem to be hard lessons learned for mortal men.
In this season of Christmas, love and light,
Should we not try harder to do things right.

Bently watches me write this as he lays at my feet,
Thinking all of this rhetoric really is neat.
Best wishes to everyone he sends by the bunch,
And tells me; Enough already; it's time for my lunch!

Phyllis Battoe
12/94