Help the pigs
Albert

Winter 2005

Albert
Albert
Albert

When I first met Albert he was tied to a post with a three foot rope around his neck awaiting slaughter. He was wild and panic stricken. He was so terrified of people from the way he had been treated that he would strangle himself with fear screaming in his eyes to struggle away from me. He had no idea I would help him. No one had ever helped him before. After we rushed him to the veterinarian to have the rope removed we discovered he was older than his size indicated. He should have weighed 250 pounds. Instead he was an emaciated 72 pounds.

New to the Sanctuary, Albert lived with so much fear and sadness. He would run terrified when someone came close. I tried every treat I could to let him know I offer good things.

Albert wouldn't eat apples, grapes, bananas, cookies, peanut butter sandwiches. He spit out everything I offered. He would barely eat bites of healthy pig food. How was I to reach him?

One day we had left over spaghetti so I offered that, expecting again full refusal. To my surprise he took a bite, got a twinkle in his eye and ate it up! Yeah! I found the magic... Spaghetti!

I made spaghetti every day for my new friend and several times a day he would bolster up all his courage to come near me as I sat while he ate his favorite food. I soon learned he would not eat plain pasta. It had to have sauce and it was the best with soy crumbles in it.

Albert was quarantined from the other pigs for six weeks and the day I moved him to live with the big group was a day that will live in my heart forever.

Albert ran with such joy in his body as he went from pig to pig introducing himself, dancing and prancing along. If a body could smile, his did.

When I call his name, Albert comes running, full of joy and anticipation. His past will be a faded memory. He will grow up to be a large pig here, surrounded by friends. He now knows people can be friends bearing treats and tummy rubs.

Judy