Bear (Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary)
Finding Sanctuary is so excited to share this incredible rescue story directly from the folks at Happily Ever Esther. Check out their account of Bear's rescue - and his sanctuary!
"Bear came to us from a failing Quebec Sanctuary, and this issue is a very common problem as many places start with the best intentions but forget about the most important aspect, that of having a donor base and a succession plan. This is what happened to Bear and his 3 pig companions, Bobbie, Leonard and Dan.
Bear arrived in rough shape with a thinning and malnourished coat of hair, overgrown hooves, and unfortunately severe arthritis had set into his elderly bones at age 14 and he could barely walk. He staggered from the trailer upon his arrival at HEEFS on December 23, 2014 and within a couple of days after arrival could not regain mobility of his back legs despite efforts and medical care to address this issue.
Now some Sanctuaries at this point would euthanize such a large and immobile pig citing their intense care and medication costs as a factor and perhaps even quality of life. But when we looked into Bear’s eyes, what stared back at us was a will to live. So, we set to work to provide Bear with the best medical care, nutrition, stimulation, and love that we could offer to let him live out his life with dignity.
Bear receives these things in abundance including medications and supplements for his arthritis and joint pain. We tend to all his care needs multiple times per day including cleaning under him and placing fresh straw and soaker pads so that he is never lying in his own waste. He receives a weekly massage by a professional masseuse who works on his front leg and shoulder muscles to keep them supple as Bear can still use his front legs to sit up and eat, scooch himself around the stall, and will sit up to offer his very loud piggy purrs whenever a meal, treat or visitor arrives. We spend hours just sitting with Bear, talking to him, cuddling, using an equine massager on his joints, brushing him, and just loving him to keep him alert and happy. Our barn always has music on for stimulus for all our animals, and Bear also has a television installed for his viewing pleasure, as he can’t get outside to view the world so we brought the world to him. He watches DVD’s including movies and animated TV shows. Wind chimes, small kites and whirligigs dot his stall also to add stimulus and sounds, and of course he resides with his best friend Leonard and most recently a new resident duck named Moby, who has moved into Bear and Leonard’s stall of his own accord. It is almost as if Moby sensed that Bear needed another close companion to keep him company.
Bear’s piggy purrs are music to our ears. These are elicited very loudly whenever he voices love, affection, even grouchiness which can occur if you do not follow his meal rituals to his exact specification! Bear must have his iced tea first. As he drinks very little water and being immobile his fluids must be maintained, we found that adding iced tea crystals to his water pail encouraged him to drink more. His iced tea is followed by his giant salad bowl consisting of fruits, veggies, and a sprinkle of spiced chilli Dorito potato chips on top as he relishes a good taco salad. He only likes iceberg lettuce and is particular about which veggies he will eat. Should a lone carrot make it into his bowl, that is quickly spit out with a grumble. Following his salad bowl Bear then receives a separate kibble bowl and the low fat high fibre specially made kibble must be a certain consistency or he will refuse it. There must be enough moisture for the vegan kibble to be made into little meatballs and then Bear is hand fed. And occasionally a giant soup spoon is used to ladle the balls into Bear’s mouth because all pigs should dine with cutleryJ
Bear then likes to relax for 15 to 20 minutes to digest and then he receives his desert fruit bowl again preferring to be hand fed, and he will devour his favorites of grapes, apples, pineapple, cherries and watermelon, especially the latter, and whoever has the honor of feeding bear that bowl always leaves covered in watermelon juice and perhaps one or two bits of seeds. I can tell you that person always leaves with a smile as it is a joy to watch Bear eat with such gusto and life.
And finally, after his salad bowl, Bear loves to receive freshly cut grass from our fields, and in the winter months he receives corn kernels, hay and maybe even a
pumpkin. His snuffles, snorts and purrs during his mealtimes, which can take up to 90 minutes as he does not like to be rushed, our music to our ears. And as an elderly man who has seen much in his now 16 years, he can take as long as he wantsJ
Following his dinner ritual when Bear is relaxed, we then go in to clean around and under Bear and he is very helpful. He will allow you to do one side and we place towels and soaker pads under his belly and back legs, fresh straw, and then when you finish and move to his other side, Bear will sit up and scooch away from you allowing us access to this side. Bear is fully aware of what we are doing and it is this cognition, this awareness, and joie de vivre for life that made our decision to never give up on him, a very easy decision to make.
At night Bear is snuggled in multiple blankets or a comforter and tucked in around his sides to keep him toasty and warm. During the cold winter months he has 3 overhead heat lamps and extra straw will be heaped all around him and on top of his blankets. During the hot summer months, Bear has two overhead cooling fans.
This sweet old man has enriched our lives in so many ways and we are grateful for every single day we have with him."
Check out Bear enjoying birthday cake here.
