Help the pigs
The History of Pigs Peace Sanctuary 2015
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Winter 2015

Severe winter storm blows down twelve trees in TLC senior pig area with one tree smashing an empty pig house flat!

Pigs Will & Patience died. School students here for work / volunteer day. Pigs Shelby & Bert died. Pilgrim the horse continues with severe laminitis and dedicated veterinary / farrier specialty care.

Many truckloads of shavings for continuous winter work to deal with no mud walkways for pigs. Senior pigs Pickles and Stanley to vet for hoof trims. Senior big pig Betsy is found one day dazed and unresponsive. No appetite, slow to move. Next day “normal behavior.” Big pig Viva died. Senior pigs Imelda & Sweetie die. Sad winter to lose our pig friends.

New feral cat to colony. Student for many days here on independent study project.

Spring 2015

We welcome young nine-month-old “mini” pigs. Two are pregnant. One has five-day old babies! The “mothers” are barely old enough. All three got pregnant at five month first heat cycle. Pig mom Mavis has five babies. Pig mom Rosie has four piglets. Pig mom Hazel has three piglets.

All visitors and volunteers asked to help piglets and moms know all are safe by sitting with pigs and let them approach first.

All male piglets safely neutered at vets under anesthesia at two weeks of age. Pigs Peace Sanctuary featured in Everett Herald News. Visiting season starts with many days booked full.

Piglets families moved from maternity rooms to nursery rooms and then to family outside housing with each family intact and next to each other for visiting. Within weeks all are together and we are piglet full! What would seem like a joy-filled time was also full of many days of sadness with the deaths of pigs as their lives end. Eight pigs died. Dog Spot died. Dog Frank diagnosed with cancer. Vet medical bills are very high due to the many neuters and spays of piglets and moms.

Judy investigates reported donkey neglect situation on Camano Island with follow-up good care give to donkeys.

Summer 2015

Ongoing routine tusk trims done on pigs Arlo, Elmer and Winston. Girl Scout troop did fundraiser for sanctuary and gifted pigs with towels, carrots and Wish List items. Canada Animal Rights group here for all day work party. Deposit paid and plans started for trenching, pipes down, hydrants up and well connected for extended water access for pig needs. Cancer came on fast and dog Frank died from Lymphoma.

Piglets and families grow. All mom pigs naturally wean babies at 12 weeks. So sad to think of all their piglets orphaned at 5 - 8 weeks or less for purchase as a pet. Each family here continues bonded to mother and siblings. This is natural pig behavior to stay with mom pig.

Pig Leala comes to board for one month while person on vacation. Abundant visitors all summer. Many learn the joy and nature of pigs.

Midsummer we move the three pig family to the large sounder of pigs. All pigs have been able to see pregnant females then mom pigs with tiny piglets while they grew. Never in the history of the sanctuary have I introduced an entire family, let alone three intact families. It was new and fascinating to watch.

The large sounder is 150 pigs living on 34 acres. The families were all welcomed as a happy addition. UW classroom held at sanctuary are full day each week. Animals, Ethics & Food with instructor Katie Gillespie.

Fall 2015

Visiting season continues until Nov 1st. Fall visitors have the fun of feeding the many donated apples to the pigs throwing apples in the field for pigs to find and enjoy.

Fall is extra busy here with truckload after truckload of wood chips hauled in and spread on pig heavy traveled walkways. We do this for wet weather and mud management. Pigs do not walk in mud. They walk on wood chips with dry feet.

Hay is brought in by the truckloads to fill all pig sleeping barns with abundant hay. Pigs to work eating it. Many pigs here come from horrible abuse and neglect if they have a happy heart from eating their hay bed it is ok with me. Our water project of trenching water to new hook-ups is complete. All trenches covered up.

Many visitors this summer and fall had to walk around open trenches as we work on a major project and accommodate visitors. Farrier and vet for extensive care for Pilgrim the horse and his continued laminitis.

After Halloween we love the people who collect pumpkins from stores and bring them in carloads and truckloads for the pigs. Judy continues to do this every year for 20 plus years. Pigs love pumpkins in the fields in the fall.

Big pigs Maggie and Ramona moved to medical assessment area. Ramona has injured toenail. Maggie is her bonded friend. TLC pig Emily died.

Fall brings storms and we have flooding! 128 bales of hay put out again in one week!

Pilgrim horse died, great sadness as he was bought off the slaughter bound truck in 1996 and was a great friend to many. We love the volunteers who came no matter what the weather. Their reward is making a true difference in the lives of trauma, neglect victims.

Fall brings request after request from people who want me to take their pig because winter is coming and it’s too much work, or going to school, or not a piglet anymore. The list goes on and on. Sad and frustrating. The year ends with 20 pig deaths this year. I grieve for all as I watch their pig friends grieve.

Truck dumping cedar shavings onto a tarp

Wood shavings for walkways.

Pig in the pasture eating pumpkins

Piglets here!

Pig in the pasture eating pumpkins

 

Pig in the pasture eating pumpkins

Pigs enjoying a pumpkin party

Pig in the grass with a pumpkin.

Pilgrim eating an apple from Judy's hand

Judy gives Pilgrim an apple

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2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018