Meeting the pig love of your life...

I do not want to add much to this story shared by one of our piggy friends, it's absolutely amazing as it is, but I do want to stress adoption. Adopting a pig in need of a home is admirable. Ultimately, the pigs you see being advertised for thousands of dollars are the same unwanted pigs being advertised for free in some places. Since the media has come to love piglets and often use them in movies and commercials, the pet pig trend isn't going anywhere and the sheer number of unwanted pigs outnumbers the number of homes desiring to add a pig to the family by the hundreds. This is Lindsey Grambley's sad story about the loss of her first pig and the happy ending with her unplanned adoption of a pig that was in need of a new home. Don't discount a pig because someone else didn't want them, remember, most of the time, it's a matter of no longer wanting the responsibility or the lack of knowledge on how to care for a pig that leads someone to look for a new home. Pigs are misunderstood and end up paying the price for that. Phin is one of the lucky pigs who has found a great home with an educated family! 

​" I just adopted my first pig, and I just wanted to share our story! I hope more pigs are able to find their forever homes too and people are able to see the value in adopting.
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I wanted a pet pig for years. Literally YEARS. I did the responsible thing and waited until the timing was right, just as I would have done had I decided to get a dog or any other animal. When I decided the time had finally come, the idea of adopting never crossed my mind, and I went to a breeder to find him. After I brought this cute little baby pig home, I quickly learned that I had no idea what I was doing. After this realization, I set out to learn as much as possible so that Ernie would not only have a great life, but also so Seth and I would not go insane! I joined a lot of “pig groups” on Facebook, where I learned a lot of invaluable information and advice regarding how to properly raise Ernie and how to handle certain behaviors. During this research, I also learned that there is a serious “pig” epidemic. In my area alone, there are literally hundreds of pigs that are constantly being abandoned or given up for adoption. This usually happens because people do not know how to properly prepare for such a big undertaking, or even worse, their pig ends up being much larger than the advertised “teacup” size they were promised and once the “cuteness factor” wears off, people abandon these sweet, intelligent, and very emotional little babies. I guess you can say Seth and I “got lucky” because Ernie did not end up being a 250 pound pig - but even if he had- there is no way I could have EVER given him up.
 
Once I realized the real graveness of the pig abandonment situation, I vowed, that when we moved to our new house, I would find Ernie a brother or sister and eventually help foster and rescue pigs (and other animals too). Unfortunately, Ernie had health issues (that I contribute to irresponsible breeding) and we lost him after only a few years. Ernie was the biggest pain in the butt because he was spoiled rotten, but he had so much personality and he absolutely loved the life we gave him. Losing him was literally like losing a piece of myself. Ernie was my baby, my sidekick, and my best friend. Seth doesn’t like to admit it publicly, but he felt the same way. I am even crying as I write this because I miss him so much! Even during this heartache, I knew one day I would get another pig when the timing was right, and I would hold true to my vow that I would adopt, rather than buying a baby through a breeder, simply because of the number of pigs that are in need of true forever homes. Seth and I agreed that we would wait, not only because we were so heartbroken, but also because we thought it would be best until we moved to our new house.
 
I guess you can say, that last part didn’t exactly go as planned…
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Everybody- meet Phineas, or as we will call him “Phin”. Phin officially joined our family yesterday, and he traveled all the way from Virginia to be with us. I saw a posting for Phin on Pre-Loved Pigs, and I instantly knew that I wanted to give him his forever home. Phin is 4 1/2 years old and was abandoned by his previous owner. He had previously been to educational events, nursing homes and petting zoos so he is very socialized, and I think he will really like all the adventures that we have in store for him. I’m not quite sure if he is potty trained, but so far he hasn’t had an accident and is loving all the clover in our yard. He is the most gentle pig I have EVER met, very well behaved, and even though he is still settling into his new home, I can tell he is happy! This morning, he started to let his personality shine and he even greeted me with some “hot panting”, which is a sign of fondness and a way of saying hello. He loves to be scratched, especially behind his ears and under his chin. If I stop scratching, he will nudge me and encourage me to continue. It’s beyond adorable. It will take him a little bit of time to adjust, and I need to work with him on few things such as training him how to use the stairs and getting him into a routine, but I cannot wait for everybody to meet this sweet boy. I am eagerly anticipating the day where he wants to cuddle next to me. Ernie can never be replaced and his memory will forever live on with us, but my heart is happy and I am honored to finally bring home Ernie’s brother and give this guy the forever home that he deserves."

Story written by Lindsey Grambley
​06/13/2016