12th July.
I was only thinking, the other day, about just how clever pigs are. They really are quite something else when it comes down to it.
We’ve had pigs that have learnt to do all sorts of tricks based on observation which is something that doesn’t seem to be apparent in other species that I’ve encountered. Since pigs are presumed to be the forth most intelligent species of mammal on Earth then you can hardly accuse me of not getting out enough on that count!
I just love pigs and the little babies make everyone smile without doing anything in particular. They’re cheeky, funny and cute. They squeal when you touch them and jump six inches in the air for nothing but should they anticipate a treat in your pocket then that fear disappears and they’ll be over you like a rash!
If you stretch out in the sunshine and there are piglets on the horizon so they’ll be there in a jiffy and after a bit of an investigation they’ll snuggle into your body and go right off to sleep.
I can tell you that if you relax with them you may well have a sleep more peaceful than you could ever believe.
Rachel is a pig that came to me a very thin, poorly little baby some years ago. Her little bones poked through her rough, thickened skin and she looked awful. She was so small for her two months of age and really could have passed for a three week old piglet. Her little body was covered in mangy scabs and her skin hung in dehydrated folds. I knew that I had to take her.
Rachel was far too tiny, poorly and infectious to go out with the other pigs and so I decided to keep her in with me. At the time I was living alone (in the human context) in a mobile home on the sanctuary and it was an ideal way of caring for her.
Pigs are very easy to care for if they are well and even the poorly ones tend to respond extremely well to TLC. Pigs love food, comfort and cuddles. They are as simple as us! It took Rachel little more than a 24hrs to adapt to the change and very quickly she was very much at home.
I think that people tend to view all of this as a one way street. All about the good old humans and what we do for the animals but that isn’t true.
One night in our caravan home I fell asleep and was only awoken by my little Rachel going mad, nudging my leg and screaming at me. At first I tried to ignore her but she was so persistent that I finally awoke and paid her the attention that she demanded.
It was only then that I discovered that our mobile home was burning down and Rachel was trying to save my life.
