Ironwood Pig Sanctuary

THE PEOPLE & THE MISSION

The great people at The Ironwood Pig Sanctuary have dedicated their lives to helping neglected, sick, and unwanted pot-bellied pigs. They have been doing this for the past 13 years. Their stated mission “is to eliminate the suffering of pot-bellied pigs by promoting spaying and neutering, assisting owners and other sanctuaries, and providing a permanent home in a safe, nurturing environment for those that are abandoned, abused, neglected or unwanted”.

A FOREVER HOME TO 600 PIGS

Over 600 pot-bellied pigs from the Phoenix, Tucson, and other Southwest areas is a “forever” home for these forgotten animals. Most of these pigs will live out the remainder of their lives here. When I mentioned that The Ironwood Pig Sanctuary dedicates their lives to their pigs, I meant it literally. They spend many hours each and every morning making sure all of the geriatric and sick pigs get the medical care, medications and supplements they need and then they repeat this in the evening.

WATER, WATER, & MORE WATER

The most important thing, especially in the summer, is water. They spend countless hours during the day making sure all of their pigs have fresh drinking water, water in their wading pools, and water in the wallows. We haven’t even mentioned the daily feeding of all 600 hungry pigs!

RESCUE NEVER STOPS!

Somehow, in the midst of their busy days, they find the time to rescue pot-bellied pigs found wandering in neighborhoods or in the desert, some that are left at community shelters and, any who are abandoned by their owners (this happens more often than you would think). Occasionally they are called to help take other’s pigs to the vet. Often times, caregivers are unable to transport their pig themselves due to their size.

Kelli saying hi

A DANGEROUS ‘TREND’

One of their great concerns is the trend of breeding “teacup” pigs. There is no such thing! As with dogs and horses, irresponsible breeders try to achieve ‘traits’ with a lot of inbreeding going on. Inbreeding, and a small gene pool in pot-bellied pigs (as well as any other domestic animal) causes a number of health risks. For example, nearly all of these pigs will develop painful arthritis and, for some, it will be the cause of their early death.

Rufus smiling, as always

A BIG BUNDLE OF LOVE

As you can tell, pot-bellied pigs are intelligent, loving animals but, they require a lot of work and attention as well as a large space to roam for adequate exercise. There aren’t many people who are equipped to deal with a 200-300 lb. bundle of love.If you want to get a pot-bellied pig as a pet, please do your homework first, and, by all means, adopt, don’t buy! Pot-bellied pigs are suitable for indoor living if trained properly. They are curious animals with a humorous disposition and an intelligence second only to that of a dog. They are not finicky eaters and can be house trained.

SPONSORING & EDUCATION WILL SAVE LIVES

If you are feeling the need to help the plight of these sweet pot-bellied pigs, the Ironwood Pig Sanctuary is a reputable, responsible, and loving place. They are always in need of donations, volunteers and they have a wish list of things they need in their newsletters. Our CEO has personally visited the sanctuary and sends them a donation each month. The Ironwood Pig Sanctuary is a 501(c)3 non-profit, so all donations are tax deductible. They also have a sponsorship program that allows you to sponsor one of the pigs and receive pictures and information about the pig you sponsor. To take a peek at all the pigs needing a sponsor or to donate, visit their website at http://www.ironwoodpigsanctuary.org/index.html.

 A special thanks to the Arizona Daily Star for these great photos.  Any of these photos can be purchased at  http://tucson.com/gallery/lifestyles/pets/photo-gallery-ironwood-pig-sanctuary/collection_7b721b6e-e788-11df-8b1c-001cc4c03286.html#1