The Pig Preserve
JAMESTOWN, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Rich Hoyle's job doesn't have a desk, a secretary, or vacation days. If he's late to work, he'll never hear the end of it.
"They let me know when breakfast is late," he says.
Hoyle is the founder of the Pig Preserve. It's a sanctuary that takes in pigs from all over the country.
"The potbellies are by and large abandoned pets. Some of them are abuse cases. Some come with injuries," he says. "The most joy I get is when we bring in a pig that's been abused and we open the trailer and let the pig out and it feels sunlight for the first time. That's a pretty joyous thing."
He gives them a better future. They help him manage his past.
"Over the years I've pretty much seen the worst thing man can do to man," says Hoyle.
He served 20 years in the Marines as a combat engineer and has seen many of his friends come home to fight a new battle. That's where the pigs come in.
"The animals have kind of been my answer to staving of the PTSD from my careers," says Hoyle. "Pigs don't lie, they don't cheat, they don't steal. They are just pure."
It's often called the simple life. But, just because it's simple doesn't mean it's easy.
"I feel like I'm running a day care center for a bunch of thousand pound hyper-active children," says Hoyle.
But, he wouldn't have it any other way.
"I enjoy doing it and I don't ever get tired of doing it," he says.
Hoyle says the sanctuary runs almost completely off of donations. If you are interested in making a donation, visit the website attached to this story.
News story link:
http://www.local8now.com/home/headlines/Veteran-runs-pig-rescue
"They let me know when breakfast is late," he says.
Hoyle is the founder of the Pig Preserve. It's a sanctuary that takes in pigs from all over the country.
"The potbellies are by and large abandoned pets. Some of them are abuse cases. Some come with injuries," he says. "The most joy I get is when we bring in a pig that's been abused and we open the trailer and let the pig out and it feels sunlight for the first time. That's a pretty joyous thing."
He gives them a better future. They help him manage his past.
"Over the years I've pretty much seen the worst thing man can do to man," says Hoyle.
He served 20 years in the Marines as a combat engineer and has seen many of his friends come home to fight a new battle. That's where the pigs come in.
"The animals have kind of been my answer to staving of the PTSD from my careers," says Hoyle. "Pigs don't lie, they don't cheat, they don't steal. They are just pure."
It's often called the simple life. But, just because it's simple doesn't mean it's easy.
"I feel like I'm running a day care center for a bunch of thousand pound hyper-active children," says Hoyle.
But, he wouldn't have it any other way.
"I enjoy doing it and I don't ever get tired of doing it," he says.
Hoyle says the sanctuary runs almost completely off of donations. If you are interested in making a donation, visit the website attached to this story.
News story link:
http://www.local8now.com/home/headlines/Veteran-runs-pig-rescue