"An open letter to anyone who is considering a pig for a pet.
If you have come to this group before getting a pig to do some research, please listen.
In the last week alone, I have gotten 4 emails/messages from people wanting me to take their pig. My friend is picking up another one today that someone was going to surrender to the Humane Society, other friends worked so hard to save on from the same fate, only to have the person flake at the last second and stop responding to their texts. Other friends are furiously trying to make space for the onslaught of surrendered pigs. On average, I get about one request a week. That's just me, one sanctuary. There are 4 or 5 other local sanctuaries who get several weekly too. We can't keep up. What on earth is going to happen to all these pigs? No one, regardless of time or money, can keep up.
Please, if you are thinking of getting a pig, commit to their lifetime. If you get a baby, you are looking at 15-20 years caring for that pig. If you're nearing retirement age, are you going to want to travel? Because it's hard to find a pig-sitter. Pigs bond very strongly to their families, and don't take well to a stranger suddenly telling them what to do. No one knows what changes the future might bring, so be prepared to keep that pig against all odds. Because the odds are stacked against that pig ending up in a good, forever home.
Because they bond so strongly, re-homing is a huge stress for them. They truly grieve for their lost families, some of them for weeks, Refusing to eat or even get up, they will point their nose in a corner or lie at the gate, waiting for their people to come and get them.
A lot of people think their pig needs to be in a herd, and a sanctuary would be an ideal situation for them. Well, let me tell you this. Many pigs that come here from a single pig home, who have only known living in a house, DON'T do well at first, some of them take YEARS to fit in. Some never do. The other pigs pick on them, and they have no frame of reference as to how to deal with these other pigs. No matter the love and patience they get at a sanctuary, it can never equal what they got in your home. There are always many others who need attention. Even if they just move on to another home situation, it's hard on them. So many pigs are bounced from home to home, and with each bounce, they become less trusting, more apt to have behavioral problems that will likely just see them bounced again, unless they end up with someone with pig experience.
This group is to let people know that pigs grow up, they will not fit in a teacup for long, no matter what that breeder is trying to tell you. But there are many, many other things that you need to consider too, besides size.
A pig is not like a dog, he won't seamlessly adjust to living with you. Some of them act like they couldn't care less about you. (Those are often the ones who grieve the most when they are given up by the way) A pig may be the sweetest friend ever, to you and maybe your family members, but visitors are not welcome, and will be challenged.
Another big reason people give up their pigs is because they are moving, and it's almost impossible (almost!) to find a place to rent that allows pigs. You have to find a compassionate landlord, and then make sure the city/town you are moving to allows pigs.
People give up their pigs because they have conflicts with other pets. Some dogs just never accept the pig, and the pig will challenge the dog. Most pigs will want to be at the top of the hierarchy, and see the dog as a challenge to that. In all cases where the dog is bigger than the pig, the pig will lose the fight, sometimes with catastrophic results. Many small or compromised health dogs will be on the losing end, also with horrifying results.
Not enough time to spend with them is another big reason people give them up. An indoor pig has only you to entertain them. You are their world, and if you are going to be gone 12 hours a day, they will get anxious, and they will get into things. They'll tip over your garbage cans, they'll rip up your carpets, root holes in your drywall. They need you, or a pig companion. Or a pen outside where they can do pig stuff.
A lot of pigs end up homeless because of conflict with children. If you have small kids, or may have kids in the near future, they need to be taught how to deal with a pig, or they will be dominated.
People having an un-altered pig often leads to re-homing. A male has one thing on his mind, and for a week out of every month, so does a female. It makes them frantic, and males will have a strong musk, and their pee smells like a jungle beast. Please spay or neuter.
Please don't go into this decision lightly. Don't just visit a breeder's facility, visit a sanctuary, or someone you know who already has a pig. You won't learn anything about their behavior by seeing a litter of piglets, you need to see the adults, and not the pigs that the breeder is claiming are adults, because those pigs are almost never fully grown. They'll grow for the first 4 years of their life, and if the breeder is telling you the parents ARE 4 years or older, ask for proof.
Are there pigs that stay small? Small is relative. The smallest I have seen fully grown is 40 pounds. That is so rare. Count on anywhere from 80- 180. Breeders are definitely trying to breed smaller pigs, but that is often by breeding runt to runt, which causes many health problems in the babies. Even a 40 or 60 pound pig is not like having the equivalent sized dog. Pigs are strong, with dense bodies, and you can't just pick them up and move them, it's like trying to pick up a baby tiger. A 40 pound animal with an attitude is a handful. They can be skittish, territorial, destructive, but you are the center of their universe.
Please, please think long and hard before getting a pig. Unless you live in an apartment, then don't think about it at all.
Thanks for reading."
