During her daily bird watching, the homeowner discovered, much to her surprise, a pair of young piglets gobbling up the fallen seed beneath her feeder.

For nearly a week, the two — apparent escapees from a nearby farm — frequented her yard, emerging cautiously from the woods where they hid to scavenge for seed. The woman began to bring food out just for them, and soon they tentatively approached her to receive their snacks. Although this tiny pair, only a few weeks old, had demonstrated impressive resourcefulness during their escape and survival, their benefactor worried for their safety. Despite her growing attachment to them, she reached out to Farm Sanctuary, and we gladly agreed to find them a permanent home.

When sanctuary caregivers arrived for pick-up, the skittish piglets challenged them to a game of hide-and-seek. In the end it was the pair’s bond and the courage it inspired that helped get them both safely into the transport van. When our team finally managed to catch the clever smaller piglet, his concerned bigger brother took note, threw caution to the wind, and ran to the carrier to try to free him. Lucky for us — just the break our rescuers needed to capture him too and bring them both to the safety of Farm Sanctuary!

The team took the piglets directly to our new Melrose Small Animal Hospital for checkups. The two were sunburned, dirty, skinny, and covered with mange, but, with treatment, their condition is already improving. Once they have a clean bill of health, these plucky friends will continue their journey, traveling to their new adoptive home at The Cow Sanctuary in New Jersey, where they will live together in safety and comfort for the rest of their days.