Debbie (A Home for Hooves)
"Debbie is a 6-year-old Berkshire/Yorkshire cross and she came from a pig farmer on Vancouver Island and is the newest addition to “A Home for Hooves Farm Sanctuary”. Debbie was being used as a breeding sow and has delivered several litters of piglets over her lifetime. Due to complications with her last litter, she could not be used for breeding again and was no longer needed on the farm. The farmer’s wife adored this pig because of her gentle temperament and was desperate to find her a home before Sept 25. They were afraid their boar would break down the fence, while they were away on vacation, to breed with her. If they were unable to find her a suitable home then they were going to have her put down because they couldn’t have her taken for slaughter due to their strong attachment to her. She reached out to the RASTA Sanctuary, but due to a recent influx of animals, they could not take her in.
RASTA’s founder, Lucie, knew that I had wanted to take in more animals (I currently have 3 pot belly pigs) and asked if I could go see her. The following week I drove 2 hours to meet her, fell in love and knew on the drive home I needed to find a way to save her. She was also being kept in a pen that wasn’t much bigger than she was (to keep her separate from the boar) so I couldn’t wait to create an area where she was free to roam. I only had a three-week window to build her a pen and I was having a difficult time finding a fence builder who could meet the tight timeframe. I was fortunate enough to find a kind soul who was willing to make this happen for me on such short notice (though I have been sworn to secrecy as to who it was because he bumped me ahead of several customers so I would be ready in time).
Three days before the deadline she arrived at her new home and was a happy girl! Tail wagging, rooting around in the dirt, visiting with her new three pot belly pig neighbors (Charlie, Charlotte, and Puddin) and dumping over her water bucket to make a mud hole! Due to the tight timeline, she currently has a temporary shelter but a proper one will be built in early October; then we’ll be on the lookout for a buddy in need of rescue (who is fixed because Debbie is too large to be spayed safely)."
-Michelle Singleton
