Meet Ellie

Sick, traumatized, and scared

Little Ellie came to us as an urgent rescue in 2018. We were contacted by a concerned citizen who knew about a young pig being kept in a tiny crate outside in the heat with no fresh water or shade from the hot sun. This person feared the pig wouldn't make it much longer if something didn't change fast. Fortunately, she was able to convince the owner to surrender the pig, and she contacted us.

When she brought little Ellie to the sanctuary, we were incredibly concerned about her welfare. She was obviously very traumatized, and she had lost all of her hair. She was skinny and malnourished. She just looked terrible.

But we were determined to give Ellie a better life and bring her back to health. We knew it would take work to make her healthy again, and we had no idea if she would ever trust us or be in a condition to integrate with the herd. 

Ellie has blossomed into a beauty queen!

Ellie has made a full recovery from her days of neglect, and she's a full member of her herd. She's also grown back all of her hair and shows off a beautiful coat of thick black hair
​12 months out of the year. She's still slightly skiddish around strangers, but not to those of us who are with her every day. You have to earn her trust, but once you do, you are a friend for life.

Ellie tends to seek out the most introverted pigs to befriend. For example, she bonded with our sweet Stella when none of the other pigs would give her any attention. Stella preferred to be alone and wouldn't interact with the other pigs, that is, until Ellie became her friend and started spending time with her. It was truly magical to see that bond form right before our very eyes. Stella has since passed away, but she will always be in our hearts (see her story on our In Memoriam page) .

Miss Ellie will never have to live in a crate again. She will always have fresh water, sunny spots for napping, warm straw for sleeping, and nutritious food for her little belly. Ellie truly went from rags to riches, and we are so happy she is here with us.

Oh, and did we mention that her favorite snuggle buddy is Petey the farm pig? They are so adorable all curled up sleeping in the straw together. What a pair!

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Meet the rest of the herd

Click or tap a photo to learn more about our herd members. Who will capture your heart?