08/30/2026
Why pigs?
I often get asked why we rescue pigs. Why devote so much time, space, money and work to an animal that most people don’t think of when they hear the word “rescue”?
The simple answer is because they need rescuing too — and because pigs are pretty incredible animals.
Pigs are highly intelligent. They can learn their names, recognize individual people, solve problems, learn routines and remember what they’ve learned. They are also deeply social animals. They form friendships, develop strong bonds with other pigs and with people, communicate with a surprisingly large variety of sounds, and have very distinct personalities. Anyone who has spent much time around pigs quickly learns that no two are quite alike.
Unfortunately, there is also a huge problem with unwanted pigs.
“Mini,” “micro” and “teacup” pigs are often sold with unrealistic expectations about their adult size. A tiny piglet is easy to sell. A 100, 150 or 200-pound adult pig that roots, needs strong fencing, proper shelter and specialized veterinary care — and may live 15–20 years — is much harder to place.
Pigs also reproduce incredibly quickly. They can become sexually mature at a very young age, and one accidental litter can mean a whole new group of pigs needing homes in a world where good pig homes are already incredibly difficult to find.
And when a pig is no longer wanted, the options aren’t always good.
Some are abandoned. Some are passed from home to home. Some spend years confined in tiny pens. Others are offered free or cheap online, where there is no guarantee they are going to a safe home. An unwanted pig can end up neglected, used for breeding, slaughtered, or in any number of situations very different from the loving home someone imagined.
Finding responsible homes for adult pigs is HARD. Many cities, landlords and HOAs don’t allow them. They need appropriate space, strong fencing, shelter and access to veterinary care. Pig rescues and sanctuaries are overwhelmed because there are simply more pigs needing places to go than there are safe places for them.
That is why we rescue pigs.
Not because they are more important than dogs, (although we also rescue dogs) cats, horses or any other animal. But because these funny, stubborn, intelligent, affectionate, opinionated little souls are worthy of compassion too — and they have far fewer places to turn when humans fail them.
For many of the pigs who come through our gate, there isn’t going to be another home waiting.
So when someone asks me, “Why pigs?”
Because they are smart. They feel. They bond. They remember. They matter. And because somebody has to care what happens to them. ❤️🐷
