Piggy Paradise!

Piggy Paradise is definitely one of my favorite areas of the sanctuary. I love the way that the pigs squeal when they know that breakfast is being prepared, and they way that Jeff & Hogan have become accustomed to belly rubs after their meals. These pigs are really living the good life! But it wasn't always that way.

Babe's a good example of that. Babe's previous guardian (for lack of a better term) provided no shade for Babe for several years, and as a result his pink skin is scarred and he's just now beginning to grow hair back, after several years at Best Friends. Babe hasn't let his experiences make him bitter, though. He's happy with the daily belly rubs and popcorn provided by his caregivers. And he certainly appreciates his cozy pig house. On cold mornings, it's hard to get him out!

Another guy who really knows how to have a good time is Jeff! Jeff and his buddy Hogan share a pen, but they're separated at meal times to prevent fights. Jeff is such a harmless guy that he's let out of his pen to have his meals, and the caregivers come back for him after all the other pigs are fed. What's funny is that when Jeff is done eating, he's been known to go wandering down the road. I guess he figures that either a volunteer will come along with some popcorn, or he'll manage to sneak down to the fruit trees along the road that leads to Piggy Paradise. Either way, it's not a bad deal!

These pigs are so well cared for! Their meals are carefully measured - plenty of delicious fresh greens, vegetables, and pellets. There's a waiting list of volunteers ready to give them belly rubs or muck their pens (aka: poop scoop. which is surprisingly easy to do in the pig pens - these guys pretty much potty train themselves! Each pig picks a small area for their bathroom, and sticks to it). They get daily walks, led by volunteers carrying buckets of air popped popcorn or shredded wheat. But I'm sure they'd rather have a home with a family. Most of the pigs at the sanctuary were horribly abused in their previous lives, and some of them still have the scars to prove it - emotionally and physically. Some of them came from hoarding situations, where hundreds of pigs were crammed into a few acres of land. They're all very lucky to have found their way to Best Friends. So am I.