He dared to escape the commercial hog industryIn the fall of 2019, a nice woman named Wendy near Smithfield, NC looked out her window and saw a tiny piglet being chased by dogs. She was able to grab him and take him to her home to safety. She kept him comfortable and fed while she called around and tried to find a sanctuary to take him in. She knew he had probably escaped from a commercial pig farm, so she wanted to keep him a secret so he didn't end up going back there and being slaughtered for bacon.
When Wendy reached out to us, we just knew we had to save this farm pig. He was so tiny and would need special care to even survive his frightening ordeal. We feel like he must have fallen through a vent port on a transport truck, which is fairly common. The fact that he even survived the fall, as small and weak as he was, just amazes us. Petey is our ambassador for all farm pigsToday, Petey is a full-grown, mischevious, handsome farm pig living with a herd of potbellied pigs. We weren't sure he would fit in since he's so physically different, but he is has integrated just fine. He's a full member of the herd and doesn't see himself any differently than his potbellied buddies. In fact, the other pigs just love him - especially at night when they all cuddle up to his warm, long body.
Unlike his parents, brothers, and sisters, Petey is one of the lucky ones. In the commercial hog industry, most pigs don't even make it to see their first birthday. Piglets as young as 10 days old are snatched away from their mothers and sent to horrific nursery farms for about six months, only to be sent over to "finisher" farms and slaughtered after that (that is, if they even survive that long). Can you imagine living in that hell? Petey the farm pig is our ambassador for all farm pigs. Many visitors to the sanctuary have never seen a farm pig, and watching them make that connection between Petey the "happy pig" versus Petey the "bacon pig" is our goal. Our objective is to educate folks and help them make kinder choices on their plates. Petey has definitely changed some hearts, and we love him for that! Petey is a survivor. He will live life on his terms - loved and cared for, as all pigs deserve. We are so lucky to have Petey join our herd and can't wait to watch him thrive year after year. And did you know Petey is famous? Hooray Foods is featuring his story on some of their marketing collateral. |
Meet the rest of the herd
Click or tap a photo to learn more about our herd members. Who will capture your heart?