CAMP SKIPPING PIG  SANCTUARY

 

 

 Richard Pettigrew and Reginald Roo arrived on June 29, 2005. They were about 11 weeks old and had been literally running wild with no socialization. Because they were so fearful, they'd jump at and attempt to bite a hand that was extended toward them. They came from an irresponsible backyard breeder who thought she could make some money by selling potbellied piglets and that seeing the babies would be a "good experience" for her children. (How many animals,especially puppies and kittens, are brought into this world with THAT excuse?!) The mother delivered five and this breeder was able to sell only three at $25 each. Nearing three months of age, they were no longer the tiny adorable babies that buyers seek out, needed to be neutered, and were extremely wild. I got the call to come get them. We had to trap them in a stall, no small feat because they were so skittish and had been previously chased. And "mom" wasn't any too happy about our messing around with her kids. She stalked and chased us and took the boys a distance away. Luring the three with food was only moderately successful because they could get all they wanted from the leftovers from the horses and a steer. Efforts to herd them failed because there were no suitable fences to contain them and the area was wide open. The first attempt succeeded in capturing only Richard, but within three days, Reggie was caught and delivered shortly afterward. The pair were named the "Beastie Boys" because of their tendency to go on the attack when frightened. Both youngsters came with mange and were successfully treated, dewormed, vaccinated and neutered within a few weeks of their arrival. Their socialization took much longer, and before that had been accomplished, a call came again from the same person stating that she had yet another litter of seven and couldn't place them, would I "come get them?" She'd ignored my suggestion to spay and neuter the parents and, though she said she'd kept them separated, it apparently wasn't far enough. Because I wasn't in a position to take in seven additional babies at that time, a friend, Gretchen, who works with Hog Heaven Rescue, offered  to foster them until they could be placed in good homes. Adoption was much easier with photos on their website than it would have been for me using only ads in the local papers. Of those seven, six were placed thru the rescue and the seventh stayed with Gretchen.

 Richard and Reggie have become wonderful, sweet natured little guys who love belly rubs and leg scratches. They talk non-stop...lots of squeeks and grunts and whines. They are still shy around strangers, but happily crawl up onto our laps for attention. They are still dubbed the "Beastie Boys", no longer for their dispositions, but because they tend to get into trouble if unsupervised, much as three year old children would do. Much loved and wanted, all plans for adopting them out have gone by the wayside, and they'll likely stay with us permanently.