Where does the time go?

Yikes it been forever since i posted on here! I should of at least come on to wish every one a Merry Christmas!!!!

Between unpacking , shopping for birthdays and Christmas presents and looking for stuff in all these boxes time slipped away from me. Mom stayed with me for four days so we weren't alone Christmas morning and opened gifts together.


We are all doing well and I am still surrounded by boxes but Mouse is doing awesome! I wish she would eat more but right now she only seems to be interested in her breakfast oatmeal. I slip in raisins and a vitamin as she is putting her nose up at ummm normal piggy pellets. It bothers me as i try different things as she leaves her dinner and yet needs to get her weight back up.

Penny had a rough few weeks as did I worrying about her kept me from sleeping. But i am cooking her soup and she is getting better , such a shame after loosing so much weight and moving really well that she can't seem to muscle her poop out. Boy does she get mad at me when i help her and then other times she accepts and lays down for it.. i have used every type of enema there is and spinach, prunes, juice well none of it helps her any more. But i will move on past this subject as she hasn't needed my help for about 4 days now.

Dior my quarter horse scared the heck out of my sister and I as she wobbled to the ground last week and looking like she was sleeping and having a nightmare we watched her have what at first thought was a stroke. By the time i raced into the house and got my vet on the phone she was rolling and i got out there to stop her. I stood behind her and asked her to stop and she got up all the while i was giving my vet a play by play. Then her eyes got so tired looking and when i looked over at Lacy she looked ready to drop too and it occurred to me that neither horse has laid down here to sleep yet. Something a horse must do every day or night to get adequate sleep. Horses only lay down when they feel safe in there environment, the move did have a toll on them after all.
As of today both horses show signs of having laid down and as i told them i am 20 feet from them now ( my house) so they are safe as can be!! A seizure brought on by sleep deprivation is my guess and my vet says there is not too much we can do.

I took pictures of Mouse out and about here at the new place and of all the new paddocks i had built. And this will be the first Christmas ever that I couldn't take pictures of their morning feast. For some reason my computer doesn't see my memory card for my camera and i have tried everything but replacing it. Next run into town i will get someone to check it out for me and replace the card so i can get back on track. Feel lost without my pictures to share here!

This Christmas was really great as no snow to stop pig friends from bringing us goodies and leaving cases of apples out at the gates. Two leaf bags of bread and buns and a bag of carrots with the biggest carrots i have ever seen. I told the big pigs they were made for them lol.

Well this is getting to long and i don't want to bore you , no pictures is no fun at all. And Mouse is up asking for soemthing!!!

Allright then!

This morning Angela arrived and we finished up her community hours with smashing ice, doing waters, tearing a fence down for the horses and picked horse manure from the pasture. By 2 we were both beat but we did it! That little fence allowed the horses some more grass. But as the saying goes the grass is always greener on the other side and so is the bird feeder. The horses explored the piggy village out front , ate bird seed and left a few good mounds on the driveway that had us bringing out the wheel barrow again.

Right now the work is easy and I don't ever recall saying that about winter but I'm not working right now so that could have a ton to do with it. Or the fact the acreage here is level ground and the horses are right up front here . No walking across the pasture threw the mud to the barn any more. Who ever put the barn out front here was a genius!

Carport Penny has the biggest of the two sheds that was here right next to where i keep all the feed. The only thing different for her is outside is a ton closer then it was before and that is good for her! No rocky driveway like the old place it is all paved here!

Mouse is licking up the bowl right now and i shared Penny's prunes with her. Today Mouse didn't potty at all so i am adding water to her pellets now too. Something more for me to worry about??

All the pigs seem to be settling in fine except for Winnie who is not a brave pig and has yet to venture out of her paddock.

Don Juan came at me again the day before. I was out in the middle of the front with only a little pail to protect myself. He lunged for me and a bucket of water over his head didn't change anything. I made a run for it when he leaped at me and jumped into Mouses mini pen. Watched him bite at the chair as he was feeling pretty mighty after seeing me run away lol. I grabbed the sorting board and walked towards his paddock and he stopped to eat bird seed and when I called him he was like his reg self. I hope when his hormones stop running rampant from the neuter so will he. If not he will never get out of his pen because he is a formidable opponent or unless i get some goalie pads and can take him off his feet. I will never be respected by him unless i win this fight.

This place wouldn't be too bad if i could keep the pellet stove running , it needs an over haul or something. Yesterday it stopped again so i went to grab the manual i found in one of the drawers to find out how you clean them. I read where it said do not vacuume unless its totally cold in there but stubborn and impatient that's me. And it was cold in here! So a quick vacuum then a dash threw the hosue with the bag on fire and there goes a perfectly good little car vacuum.

Mom stopped at the old place to pick up some mail from the new owner. The carport is gone and pretty much so is the kitchen. Major renovations happening over there. Funny how "home" has turned into the old place.

I am starting to feel like myself now although we worked hard today i feel good and snow is coming so i better get going early tomorrow!

Mouse is eating !!!

I am still way behind on emails but I wanted to thank everyone who posted there concerns as I took them to heart. I began force feeding her yogurt by the syringe. My vet actually came here yesterday morning to check on her which is something the practice doesn’t do. He works at the Grouse Mountain Wild Life Preserve as the vet there as well so me thinks he stopped on his way up the mountain. Even so something he didn’t get paid for and was here with Mouse for about an hour checking her over. He left us feeling confident she would begin eating today and he was right. Last night I offered her spinach and she ate it all up. Between last night at about 11 and this morning she ate her assortment of offerings and her served banana and apple pieces this morning. She was a little bit more of a challenge to get the meds in her so she is on her way to recovery now. Her first bowel movement will be the tell all for me and now that she has something in her I can expect that soon too. The prunes and spinach hopefully will make it an easy move-ment ;o))



She is here with me in the big house and the weather is really cold here right now. Hammering out ice out of waters twice a day and filling by the bucket until I get my electric hose today. Its only 40ft at over 200.00 but 40ft of not walking with a pail I will take at this price. Any how her little self will no doubt be spending a lot of house time as she is quite comfortable here in her nest of blankets.



The make shift pen is at the only access for pigs into or out of my house right now and I have the ramp set up for an easy way in and out for her and a tiny penned off area outside of it all. She has been using the litter tray , these guys are soo smart but you all know that!! She can stay in the big house as long as she wants , returning to the herd will be her decision.



I told her last night how she will be able to run like the wind again , no longer packing around that extra weight, and her natural sitting up on her back legs for treats will come again for this brave little girl!!

( stain on the couch was a squirt of meds as she resisted the offering a tad this morning! )



The operation was just a little over $2500.00 for enquiring minds wondering what the charges are like here . And it was a fair price as it was a steady 3 1/2 hours of surgery for Ken and his team and he went right from Mouse to another appointment waiting in the office. He was eating a cookie on the fly.

Mouse is refusing to eat

I have tried everything and anything! Waiting it out is not an option. I know she just had major surgery but a pig who refuses to eat is a very sick pig and i am not waiting it out any more. I forced fed her honey and the meds in a syringe tonight. Surprising it wasn't as difficult as i thought it would be , that is another sign things are not right.

Ken is coming to see her tommorrow morning..

Mouse is ready to come home!!!!!!!!!

The doctor says she is doing well and was standing up when I was talking to him. Color is good , heart rate good and she is a much smaller pig!! Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa



I will arrange help to pick her up now and will bring her home this afternoon. She will have all the attention she needs here in the big house with me and will arrange her bed in front of the patio doors here. Ramps to be arranged for down the road and a way to keep her confined when we do go outside but for the next few days/weeks she will be a house pig!

EDITED TO ADD.. she is home in a nest full of blankets a few feet from me. The pellet stove is keeping is all toasty warm, i hope she feels better tomorrow. She is drinking but has refused food tonight of any kind. I won;t push it as the ride home probably exhausted her. Pigs never lie down in the crates..

Mouse

My brave little girl survived the removal of a 35lb tumour today and i pray with all my heart i will see her back with herd very soon. She will of course spend the night and these next 24 hours are in our creators hands now as Ken (Watcom Vet) did a wonderful job! I was there at 9:30 thanks to the help of Carol (SAINTS) and Smitty!! Three hours in surgery... i got home about 3:30 with the aid of West Coast Tails Pet Taxi who came back to pick me up again after getting us to the vets on time.

Please send postive thoughts and prayers for Mouse.

That is Mouse on your left hand side after her herd got into a bale of straw back at the old place. They had fun!!!

Safe and Sound

I am too darn tired to think about where i left off but i can't help wanting to write. Feeling that if i don't, it will all disappear from my memory.

Saturday morning started with out our flat deck, poor guy broke down the day before and while he watched his truck being towed he thought of us and called to let us know. That thought alone was priceless.

Gord arrived with his partner and wife Mae, this family was one of the many huge spokes in this giant wheel. Not only did they meet my worry of them having to make two trips for sheds now with ease they hired a moving company , gave us a donation and a beautiful red sectional to fill the big room in this house. Although while it was all going down it seemed over the top , it was a smart move by Mae as we had the help that day to move everything.

We held back the horse trailers for the crane truck to remove the first two sheds , a lot easier picking this time and they were on there way.

We had basically three small herds of pigs to load so we grabbed every piece of plywood we could muster and made a quick long shoot. I may have got a bit testy this time but i didn't want a repeat of the last time. As the pigs are being herded down the shoot they are watching every movement and seeing it as a threat. This triggers there natural flight response, and wanting to turn back. I had made it very clear to our herders no one moves , no one talks and not one foot moves an inch up ahead of the pigs. Charlie , Kay's son and i brought the pigs forward with our herding boards. (thanks to Deb and Jim for those!) 6 pigs in and lets get the next four. We again rigged up a shoot into the one we created and walla , now there in.

Casanova and Winnie were next and they would go in the last section of Kay's goose neck stock trailer. Pretty cool how those doors slide closed and we have three separate box stalls. These two are my house pigs and have had more exposure too what pigs deem as scary,so Winnie basically said okay and Casa followed. Dylan alone, we crated and set him in the trailer, he was pretty heavy that little guy. Kay would return home do her horse's and bring the pigs when we were ready. Treats of alfalfa were met with waggy tails i am told during there wait for departure time .

We let the moving truck in and filled it up along with the trailer Mae pulled behind her , in fact i think we loaded that twice. Tons of rubber mats, wood, couches and even the outside fridge made the trip. I sent some of our helpers along with the moving van and hoped they would have that emptied by the time we filled all of our trucks.

Crane truck returned and grabbed the last two sheds. They had also set in all the sheds we had moved the day before into there ideal locations. Everything is going better then planned. ( see my smug smile here )

Karen arrived with her horse trailer and that got the rest of my hay and feed from the barn and as much more wood as we could fit in there.

Our last pig moved was our Carport Penny. John's, Mom had offered up her van so in went a mound of blanket's , two cushions and lets get the ramp and get this girl up there. Word back from these limo drivers was Penny even took a look out the window.

Jingles custom senior doggy ramp has come in very handy for this entire move Jean and Smitty! Many of the horse trailers are step ups and far to high for little pigs legs to muster. This is how we got Penny into the Van.

We all headed out together after securing the cats and carrying out the aquarium for Tippy into my truck. We arrived to find the crane truck had slipped off the driveway once the shed weight was removed and they were fighting the hole they were in. I had drove half way with two cats howling and then my poor scared cats well... the smell of the inside of my truck was how these poor guys in the hole must of felt .

These guys are pro's and had the truck out within 30 minutes and no sooner did they pull out and the moving truck pull in did the pigs arrive.

I had been barking orders and was running around like crazy as i could see many of the houses came with out there ramps or ramps were set far too high and i was all over trying to fix things before the pigs arrived. Gads the moving van isn't even unloaded yet and the pigs have arrived. What smug smile??? I was all over the place, these pigs needed to be able to get in there houses and we will be loosing light in an hour. Everyone was great as i gave orders for some one to grab bales of hay for some of these sheds and lets get some wheelbarrows of dirt to fill in the height on these ramps!!

Now getting them from the horse trailers too there pens was a little hairy scary but we did it , whew.

It was dark when we unloaded Penny and everyone is here safe!

The next two days was back to the old place , we had tons of work to do . Cleaning of the house and materials i wanted had to be torn from the pen work. Gates and 2 x 6s that all can be used again, down the road. And a few trips to the dump.

The house and every room is opened boxes , stacked boxes, tools here and there, Tortillas mess in the corner and outside is a mess of wood that wasn't stacked and half dozen vari kennels to wash. Tools everywhere and i got to attack that tomorrow and get Penny set up properly.

I have much to be grateful for and so many to thank for helping the pigs and I move. So many good people giving up there time to come so far and work for the animals here. Bringing trucks, equipment and trailers that would all have to be cleaned once they got home. There gift here did not end when they left as there chores that didn't get done are compiled now as well. Clothes and jackets soaked right threw and the muddy mess we all worked in. A lot of old faces and a lot of new. Thank you all so very much!!!!!!!!

Leaving the old place was difficult and i went down memory road from picture to picture remembering our life here . Thanking the apple trees for the treats they provided our babies and filling the bird feeder there for the last time. I left a bag of bird seed there with a note and i pray the new owners feed my birds as they don't ask for much to fill our lives with song.

I went out to Willy's garden and removed some of his things and left some of his too. I called out to all the animals who i put into the earth there and told them to follow me. I took one little tree that had been uprooted, it would represent all of my babies lost there and our new begining here.

I realized something very important when I was at the barn. Looking out where i had watched Willy get into the alfalfa and when i sat out here with the horses at night. And remembering Mark leaning on the post having a smoke that I realized that i wasn't leaving any of them. I was taking them with me , as these memories are coming with me!

So I closed the gates, put the chain over and drove away.

Another perfect Day!

Every one who offered to help arrived and Bill and Fanny rented the big truck and Jim arrived with the horse trailer.

We all got in position to herd Norm into the trailer and that little man went up and into the trailer like he had been doing it all his life. Tail wagging as we got the Butter Cup Kids ready to go. Casandra tried to out smart us but eventually Tuskers lead the way with Cassandra and Danny following. 20 minutes and four pigs are loaded into the horse trailer and Jim was on his way.

Bill is one of those kind of guys who goes for it , right on!! So with his lead we managed to roll, take down fences, remove posts , drag, lift and load three very large houses and one shed into that big truck.

Nancy stayed back washing dishes and water tubs and loaded her truck while we headed out to the new place. All the houses came off and were set up in front of pens ready to be lifted over by the crane truck when it comes tomorrow. And then we placed Georges house into a pen his is connected too.

Tortilla is still in the big house ripping and rooting things apart, keeping my Mom up all night . And when i walked by the trailer that housed George and Pebbles, it was shaking. Those two were duking it out so after the second time i walked by i let them both out. They leaped down from the trailer and followed me into there new pens. George was following around Pebbles like a puppy in love so it will be all right once they get sorted out who is going to be boss.

Norm and the Butter Cup Kids will remain in the trailer over night and that is where i fed them all and every one else before i left.

Don Juan has quite a story to tell when you visit him , he is chatting up every one who visits and telling them all about his harrowing ordeal yesterday. Cozy in a nest of hay we all gave him extra treats all day.

The horses are calm and settled in today , this brings me a huge amount of comfort and grazing so very close to the scary geese next door. lol.

My sister Nancy is spending the night out there and i guess this will be the last night i sleep here as all my kids will all be at there new home by tomorrow.

I will not be in front of my system tomorrow night, OMDAWGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow is another big day, as there are three sheds to move,14 pigs, two cats and a turtle. Plus anything we can fit into and load into whatever arrives.

I am asleep at the keyboard here and must go out and feed the kids, left over chili is calling my name...

Thanks to every one who helped pull off today!!!!!!!

Today went perfect!

We got Don Juan crated in about 15 minutes . We blocked the door way to his shed and lined up the crate at the door way. John manned the crate and Nancy and I climbed into the shed with two herding boards and we herded him out the door way into the crate, perfect. Took all of 15 minutes , tops.

West Coast Tails Pet Taxi ( awesome) arrved right on time and we got him on his way to the vet to be nuetered and a tusk trim.

Karena arrived with the horse trailer and then we crated Jack , George , Pebbles and Tortilla. Peb and jack needed me to help them go all the way in the crate and they are all getting to feel heavy by this time lol. Tortilla was soooooooo good as was Gentlemen George.

While Nancy and John hung back washing all there dishes and water tubs i drove out leading the way for Karena. Pigs all were left crated in the trailer as i decided to go back and get Jacks house as his paddock was ready. Karena left her trailer with us and that is where Geroge and Pebbles are nested down. Tortilla in the big house in the games room at the new palce. We are doing better then my paln so far.. but we are tired already.

Back to the hosue i go and then we got Jacks hosue into my truck , loaded up more stuff and all of us headed to the new place again.

Jacks house got set up in the new place and then we carried jack out and set him free. Got some hay for Jack , George and Pebbles , water and food bowls and then i fed them all. Oh and Pebbles and George are out of the crates and have the horse trailer for over night.

Mom brought me out a bowl of home made vegan chili so I ate that on the fly.. yum!!!

The new two sheds arrive and the guys struggle with getting them in place but they did it!!! Way to Steve, Son of Steve's, Randy , John and Wayne the shed guy! And only $1200.00 not 1500.00.

Don Juan arrives home so we tuck him in. He was so good the vet and the Pet Taxi tell us, he never made a fuss all the way there and all the way home.

I just got home we all put in a nine hour day and i have to go feed the kids here yet.

Huge bummer is one of the paddocks is udner water after that terrible rain fall last night so i pray it will have drained away by Saturday. I may have to rent a pump or invest in one... but they won't drown!!!!!!!!!

I will have to bring in gravel and bark mulch but let me get them all moved there first!

And yes i stopped at the wine and beer store on my way home...

Final Stages

Thursday November 26th we will be here loading Don Juan at 9am in a crate to be transported for his neuter. He will be transported by a Pet Taxi as there is no one to do this for me right now. Nancy and Tracey will assist and when Don is ready to travel from the vets he will be taxied right too Mission into the shed on site for his recovery.

Karena will also be here arriving with her horse trailer and we will load George, Pebbles and Jack . We may have to crate to get them in the trailer . The horse trailer will travel to the Mission site and be parked there over night with the pigs until pens and houses are ready. ( four pigs moved)

I may have John here who is serving his community hours down here.

Two sheds will be delivered as purchased hopefully today or tomorrow to Mission site.

Friday November 27th . Bill and Fanny have rented a five ton with a lift and we will have the use of two horse trailers. What I hope to do here is load as many pigs as we can and get as many of the smaller pigs houses loaded into that truck. Tortilla and Dylan can be in one horse trailer that has a divider. Penny must be added to this move too.. stress… We will also move Norm and the Butter cup kids which is four more pigs that can remain in one trailer. Not sure how much room I have out there for all these trailers but will look again when I go back out there. ( seven pigs moved)

Saturday November 28th We get the use of one of the crane truck again as we still have four more big sheds to move . We do have Steve arriving with his big tilt flat deck and we can sling and roll/drag a couple of these sheds. However we need that crane truck to lift them up and over the fencing at the new place as the fencing crew is geared to completion now.
We will also see Kay here with her big horse trailer which will hold the three remaining herds. (last 12 pigs.) And Karen , yeaaaaaaaaa she can take Penny!!



Sunday November 29th Bill and Fanny will arrive with a cube van and this will remove the rest of the contents of my house such as the office , couch, kitchen table and chairs.

Sunday and the Monday being the last day of the month are the days I have left to remove everything and all fencing we are going to try and recycle back to Mission.

Every day the more hands we get the easier it will be on every one who is here to help. You do not have to be pig savvy or strong and no one will be in the way. We do however will need strong arms as well!!! I really need any one who can help on any of these days . Please call or email what days you can help . Start time every day is 9AM and dress warm with rain gear, gloves , and boots if you have them. We do have some extra gear here.

Pictures from Saturday

www.bikesbirdsnbeasts.blogspot.com

Thanks Carol and Bill!!!

Stressed ..

Friday after doing what we were told to do by our Well guy the water stopped completely. Great, no water and animals coming . I came home and filled up the livestock tank in the back of my truck and headed back out to Mission to fill up water tubs for the horses. We also undid a gutter so the rain water would funnel right into a huge rubber tub. No water , no showers and so no plumbing, good grief Jean will be here tomorrow.

Saturday Jenn arrived who I hired with HorseHop Transport and got my girls loaded and transported to Mission safe and sound. Thanks to my sister while this nervous Mom headed out first and Nancy followed the trailer behind. Jenn was very kind and patient with my two redheads which makes this sort of thing go a lot smoother for people like me who are not used to loading horse's onto trailers at all. Whew okay there home , next !

Jean arrived from Crofton to Maple Ridge and then we all went back out there to show her the house and set up so she would be comfortable for her first night of animals sitting in a strange House. Heyyyyy she slept in my house before i did!!!

Yesterday was amazing as Gord Sufferon arrived with his son and there two crane trucks first. Then Kay Veinotte arrived with her 45 ft goose neck horse trailer and we started to set up to move pigs. Started coming off a tad disorganized but we got the first 12 in with a ton of bribery and many sheets of plywood. The farm pigs were next with Roscoe following the food bowl into the trailer no problem. Rose was next and with plenty of reassurance from me she braved the ramp into he trailer too. Pretty slick set up with sliding doors to keep all pigs in the three sections. We stuffed in hay and then the next trailer came in and Comet was loaded next pretty well went in like Roscoe and the trailers left making room for the crane trucks.

Thank goodness there were two trucks and the friends who came with them. Mae arrived with Starbucks coffee and add her son to the team of crane trucks got the sheds loaded while Nancy, carol, Bill, Yuki, Jean, Mae gosh i can't remember that pretty girls name scrubbed out feed and water dishes. Took down the lattice and loaded my truck and then we all headed out there.

It took a while to get the sheds off and my fencing crew were pulled off what they were hired to do to make way for the sheds. Steve was 25ft up a tree with the chain saw and I hid again. Lattice went up and we hand pailed water out for everyone who would be arriving.

Kay arrived with the pigs in the trailers and those pigs came off the trucks and followed the trail of food into there new paddocks. Kind of cute to watch them go into there houses and make sure everything was okay. The girls had added fresh hay to all the houses and the rest of us were dragging off the tree limbs into a huge bush pile.

Yuki took off to Mission and came back with four pizzas and every one who could stay grabbed a bite and the second leg is done. Ton of food , pastries and cookies and i don't know who to thank for that .

I can't thank every one enough for helping pull this off but i also am stressed as we will need even more help this coming week-end.

The well guys are working on my well ca-ching ca-ching, a huge ex pence i wasn't planning on. $4500.00 and i should have water out there today.

The alarm company will return Tuesday morning to fish there work and my added requests and then the chimney repair guys will be there to quote on the rain leaking into the pellet stove and is the wood burning one safe to use. Sigh...

And i need to order two sheds and spending another 1500.00 there but i got to get them out there so Steve can get them into to where they need to go so he can finish those pens.

Saturday four more sheds need to be moved from here and four or five large dog houses. Gates , wood , materials still so much to do! Oh and lets not forget i still have 23 pigs here that can't all be shoved in one horse trailer. I have some planning to do and who can be with who. My cats and my turtle are next and Sunday i have a cube van coming but i need more help here again.

I need to go get something for this anxiety as it is hard to function this way. I have been packing all morning again and Casanova is going to rub off my ankle off i don't get off this thing!!

Forgive me if i have left any one out but THANK YOU ALL so very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope someone took pictures!!!

Update for Saturday November 21 and Sunday 22

I had planned on doing an update yesterday but the server was down again last night.

November 21 - I have just called a horse hauler and left a message asking to hire her to move the horses on Saturday. The tack room at the barn is packed , so there is boxes of horse stuff, a large shelf and misc materials will need to be moved as well. It would be great if the horses and all there stuff is taken care on Saturday. One horse trailer and a van would work or a truck with a canopy

November 22 - We will be moving jeans pigs “the Super Wee’s” out first. They will be loaded into a horse trailer first. Kay has offered up a 45ft goose neck horse trailer which will hold the 12 pigs and perhaps Comet too . Me thinks we will need ¾ of that trailer for the 12 and then separating them from the last pig in her trailer being Comet another large pot bellied pig who cannot be with this herd together. Kay can you please add straw or hay to your trailer as the pigs must be kept warm for this as I don’t know how long they will be sitting in your trailer at the new place while we wait for there houses to be delivered.

Most wood on that pen is pretty new so I would need all the lattice taken off , its just on with zap straps and then all the 2 x 6’ for about 60 ft too. If those posts can come out the 60 ft line we will try and take those too LOL. I don’t think we cemented them in as I knew we were not staying . Dishes, trays , pools , umbrellas etc . The wire is stapled, ( u shape nails) and we should take it down and then just step on it and fold it up to be taken to the dump for recycle.

The farm pigs will be next, they cannot be in the same trailer unless the divider goes all the way too the floor. One of the big pigs is crippled so again they need bedding and a slow steady hauler. The only thing that should come with us besides the houses in those pens is the dog run Jean and I incorporated into our fence line for one of them. I don’t like to leave any decent wood but we can only do what we can do that day. I will still have the next week to tear it down and try and get help to do it before the last week-end and the BIG move

Now that the pigs are all safe in horse trailers the crane truck will come in to lift there houses/ sheds. We don’t know how long this all will take but we are hoping there will be enough time to come back and grab more but that too depends on if any more pens are completed by that time .

My address here is 13287 232nd street , Maple Ridge 604-463-4059

Rain gear, gum boots , gloves , hammer , drill, sawszall (?sp) if you have one! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!

I will reimburse any expenses any one incurs to help us move!!

You may want to bring a lunch !!







Keep Pork Off Your Fork!

When it rains it pours

Leaving yesterday on a positive note as i wake up this morning there is still so much to do.

I called two vets first thing this morning regarding Don ( neuter), and Mouse ( crossing the border for surgery) and no one called me back. Stress...


I was out at the new place at 9:30 for the Alarm company for 10 and my hay delivery for 11:00 ..either showed up. I moved some boxes to areas they need to go such as the storage for upstairs , bedrooms,kitchen and office. That house is huge and i would of traded that big games room for a barn any day. I did empty some boxes but it is a ton of walking and if any one has bad feet you will know what i am talking about when i say i didn't bring shoes to wear in the house.

My plan was to only be there for the guys who never showed up and clean out the hay area . I did that but then I wanted to come back home to try and clean up the mess we left here yesterday. My floors are mud black , messes in every room.. boxes every where.

Anyhow i can't shake this heart pounding so I went to the clinic and he listened to my heart and said I don’t think its your heart its no doubt the stress of move and combination of a few things go to the hospital and get these tests done. Well it took so long in the waiting room it was 4 by then I just came home... home.. umpf


The rage of the river has me worried again , that is all I need. Its running pretty fast and hard and very very high. Pouring rain out and none of the pigs came out for dinner so I just came back in the house. Will try again later to see if it stops pouring. I hate living like this.. and if I can't fix it all it will be just like this at the new place.

Everything is a mess, it’s a mess here a mess there. The guys are digging holes and they are filling up with water. Steve bought a pump to drain the holes so they can pour cement but if it is that wet my pigs will be in that within weeks of arriving as it all turns to mud. I have to find someone to do some ditch work now and can’t find the cut out out of paper Mom gave me the other day for a guy who does it.

No way will the crane truck get in where we need him to go with the sheds so I think I need to rent a flat deck utility trailer that day so the crane can put it on there and then we can hitch it up to one of the guys trucks and pull them over.

I still need more houses/sheds for the pigs by the 28th!!

Edited to add that the power has gone down four times in the last 2 weeks here. Anyone who called to help and left messges on my answering machine i lost so please call me back. Power goes down so does the machine!

No wonder my heart is pounding ..

Its Coming together!!!

Steve and his posse hired to do the fencing are pulling it all together out there. So nice to work with some one who is both bright, competent and trust worthy. The pens are all lined out and holes for the posts are being dug even though the weather is not dry it at least is not cold. Every pig here,herd or other wise will have more room to stretch there legs when i go back to work and they are locked up for safety.

Bark mulch and or gravel will come in after every body has a chance to eat the grass in there pens and once settled in more. This can't wait either though or we will be right back in mud again in no time.

The one shed i purchased off of Craig List was delivered today so Comet has his new digs there already! This is only one of many more sheds required and time is flying by here I better get more coming!!!!!!!

I have so many people to thank for helping pull this first leg off so smoothly even though everyone was wearing boots and rain gear!!! Thank you to everyone who gave up there day to be out here to help us move!!!

The five ton cube van was loaded to the rafters and as more friends pulled into help with trucks and trailers we got everything out of here not required for the last two weeks here. The sanctuary animals are still here with me and we still need to take care of them so there will still move more stuff to move at the end of the month. But almost all big stuff is at the new place now.

The week-end coming up is crucial now as i need horse trailers lined up and i only have the crane truck for one day so i have to able to have horse trailers lined for that date. Will have to pull this together and see who we have once i sort out the bazillion emails for the second leg of the move!!

Everything also depends on the pen work and what is completed and for who. Crazyyyyyyyyyyyyy

PIG SANCTUARY IN British Columbia - MUST RELOCATE AND NEEDS HELP!!!! - Best Friends Network Charities

PIG SANCTUARY IN British Columbia - MUST RELOCATE AND NEEDS HELP!!!! - Best Friends Network Charities

Moving Penny, Moving Mouse and Moviing !!

Well now I thought you should all know our Carport Penny is a new girl!! I don't know if having two vet calls out in one week just for her has given her a new lease on life or what. But this little girl is up twice a day now and her treasure hunt for prunes has her moving like she has never moved before. Spinning around to hunt down the scent, moving fast and wagging her tail. Plumbing is working great too!

Mouse with the tumour is big, and we are exploring her going to the USA for surgery to save her life with experienced veterinarians. If i am going to spend $2500.00 on her here I prefer to spend it all down there as her chance for survival at the same cost is higher. Keep in touch as i am asking my vet to take her for me and if he can't i will need to hire someone from here as I simply can't do everything with this move on top of us right now. And Mouse must get this operation NOW!!

Possession is November 12th and I will begin taking truck loads of materials and house hold stuff every day that i can.

November 15 , Art and Knapps thanks too Christine has offered us there five ton on that Sunday to move big stuff. We will need help as there is tons and tons of wood, gates, plywood , benches, tables on top of the regular house stuff. If you can help that day please send me an email.

November 21 and 22 is the first week-end the moving of animals must begin. If you have trucks, crates, flat decks, hi abs, people power, horse trailers please email me times, dates, a people count etc. Pigs will be loaded into horse trailers and transported out to the new place. They will have to remain housed in the trailers while there sheds are being loaded up here and transported to the new place.

We will need people to help there , to set houses down and move into the ideal spot .

This will be repeated if at all possible that day and on the 22 again if we have enough help.

It is imperative we get half done the first week-end as no way can all these animals be moved in two days.

November 28 and 29 is the last week-end . Again if you can help please email me STAT. If your trucks have hitches and your not hauling a trailer for us already , let me know , i will rent flat decks so we can move some of these little houses onto them and get them out there too. Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee please help me!!!

Princess Erma says "thank you"

Move update!

Okay the house and acreage is ours and possession is Nov12th at 9 Am . Our new place is only 20 minutes away and it is a easy strait drive , no hills and no hard directions.



I will begin moving Nov 12th with my first pick up load or heading to Abbotsford with Mouse for her operation and then coming back to load my truck .



Mouse , the sister to Peppermint Patty who died from complications from a large tumor has swollen up like she is carrying babies now too. No one has performed the surgery here in B.C. Canada West who specializes is this will not touch a pig. My hope is ken, and now he and much of the staff is down with the Swine Flu. I don’t know if the operation will be successful but an early death for Mouse if we don’t; try and I must try and set this up prior to moving as a move is stressful and then were further into winter with difficult weather if I wait till after. I fear what the stress will do to this mass.



I have hired Carols handy man to be lead hand and he is too arrive with in the hour here to take a look at how I built this place over the last 16 years. He will be the point man from Nov 12th on until we are moved and will commence work immediately to tear down a tree house in the line of where my hay needs to go at the new place.



I have hired a fencing company to build the pens, yet we need to book an appointment prior to possession to draw everything out , get materials ordered and be ready to start Nov 12th.



We have started to pack up the house , will need more boxes to also pack up the barn and the tool shed and anything else we can cram into boxes.



I have bought one shed on Craig list which will be delivered for us when I tell the guy when too. More sheds will need to be purchased, at least four more.



Tons of stuff under the house such as bags of blankets for the pigs, much of my household possessions already packed up and stored down there.



Pens will need to go up leaving large areas open so sheds can still be moved in , man power will be required to set those sheds down , upon blocks and moved to perfect location and then pens closed up when pigs arrive. We will need a fleet of flat decks with hi abs for the large sheds. And pigs loaded prior to the sheds being pulled out and transported to the new location while awaiting there houses to be set down at the new place. We have two small sheds we can use as a temp pen there already , as well as the barn , and my house if need be.



Horse trailers are a must as they can house these guys while we await the houses being picked up and delivered.



It is my plan that the horses and the large herd of 12 will be at the new place the week-end of the 21s and 22nd. More will follow as pens are completed , pigs herded up and houses are moved that same week-end. No way can we move all these houses and animals in one week-end.



Some of the pigs are in large dog houses so we will crate those pigs and houses can be loaded onto flat trailers too.



The last week-end I must also take as much of the wood on the existing pens as I can for future use and clean up the house and acreage before I vacate these premises. I can not do this all by myself and I have no idea how much all this is going to cost and I only have so much money left that I didn’t use as a down payment to pay for this all from the sale of this place.



If friend can help orchastrate any of this work being done during the week starting Nov 12 th , fantastic. This includes packing , moving stuff which can be anything from boxes, gates, materials, tools and sheds . Piggies and horses, our most important cargo and food and refreshments for our volunteers.



Fundraisers of course, we are desperate for cash flow as winter is ahead of us and we will need funds to pay for Mouse’s impeding surgery which will be well over $ 2500.00 and the cost of paying my foremen and the fencing company which I can only guess at approx $20,000 with sheds, materials and the crew.



If we can please email me with dates and times available, people count, and what equipment if being a truck, vans, flat decks, cube vans , hi abs, packers , boxes, large crates, temporary dog runs, hay & straw orders picked up and delivered, feed orders, and I will start a chart/calendar so I can start to plan this CRAZY event.



Thank you all so much , no task is too small and everything you do to help the animals here is so appreciated.

No such thing as teacup pigs

No such thing as teacup pigs

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Teacup Pigs All the Rage, But Animal Welfare Group Urges People to do Homework Before Taking One Home

Teacup Pigs All the Rage, But Animal Welfare Group Urges People to do Homework Before Taking One Home

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Pigs...

Penny is having major trouble with constipation. I have tried to help her in every way possible way from enemas- three different kinds, warm water concoctions, compresses , emailing and calling vets.

My vets cover a ton of ground and Ken shares his talents on Grouse Mountain but did answer my page and i took his advice to action. Herman also awesome as far as helping any way he can, a mobile vet he was on his way to Gibson's. The vet in town who took my call yesterday admitting the problem was something he had no experience in would not take my call today.

I took there advice , used some of my own (homeopathic) and Preparation H to bring swelling down on what looked like a partial prolapse. My friend and a vet in the States emailed this morning and on her words i called Ag West. Another mobile vet i forgot about in my overloaded days. Penny unable to take a poop and my rubber glove treatment on top of everything else i tried wasn't doing it for either one of us. She is such a good girl and putting up with me as much as she can and of course i was making sure she got pain killers too.

While waiting for the vet I decided i had time to let Don Juan out for a while. Don is a skookum looking pig , weighing approx 175 lbs and built like the hulk hogen of pigs.

I came back outside to hang out with him and walked up to him to coo speciel words to him and i noticed out of the corner of my eye he was chomping and looking at my foot. I recognised this to be him ready to challange me so i said NO and he came at me. THE FIGHT WAS ON!!! He came at me full boar!!!

Knowing every time i backed up to grab something to defend myself he saw this as a weakness and charged me LOL The rubber leaf rake was no match and even though i was shoving it in his face he bit at it and i was ready to leap into the box of my truck. To know pigs is to understand them and that is i can't show weakness and no matter what i have to to do I have to win this fight. With out any proper blocking boards here i grabbed for the tin garbage can lid and then saw the plastic baseball bat on the bench.

Know that Dons pen in measurements is approx one half block away but it is up the driveway and across the pasture , around the mud wallow and past two other pens.

Armed like a gladiator i shoved him back with the lid and he came back at me full force. Using my foot , every time i shoved him back with the lid i shoved him trying to take him off balance at the shoulder. But each time he came right back at me, grabbing the lid and biting at it . Backing him up the driveway with everything i had physically and then shoving him back under the fence and across the pasture. I didn't think I was going to make it. But you can't give up and run LOL . My mind was racing didn't anyone driving by see me fighting a pot belly pig in my pasture??? I tell you when i got him back in that pen i went down to my knees in exhaustion.

Don know doubt felt my weakness with everything that is going on around here and my fear for Penny. This is the way of pigs, and this big boy who needs to be neutered wanted me out of his herd and to knock me back down the ladder for position. I have been around pigs now for 16 years. This is only the second pig who came into my life who would not back down immediatley. This will not be the last time with him and this is the only picture i could find of him in haste to show you.

Danielle arrived shortly after with a car full of produce for the pigs and was just leaving when Jean arrived from the island with another truck load of apples.

Brent, my vet got here and we crawled into Penny's house while he helped relieve Penny and what a nice guy. Penny was sooooooooooooooooo good and in the few minutes we worked with her Brent let up when she began to struggle from my hold . He left us after discussing her care and how else i could help her. Not a prolapse but nodular tumours and the obvious fact she is constipated , he felt no tumors when inside.

Jean and i then took boxes of produce around to all of the pigs and yes i walked into Don Juan's pen too. He ran off to his bowl position and i left his pile of greens and turned my back on him. But oh yes i was watching him out of the corner of my eye lol . Pigs!!!!!!!!!

Jean and i then jumped in the truck and went shopping at both the health food store and the grocery store to fill our list for both Penny's and my needs.

A crazy day between Don and Penny, a vet call and we are rich in produce again. I am not sure this is how Jean envisioned her day spent with me here but i am so thank full she did.

Subjects

Soooooooooooooooo my offer has been accepted! The tenant has been appeased with two monthes rent and moving expences . The Septic checked out okay today and the house inspection is Thursday morning. Water from the well is where ever it has to go and we will know by Friday if everyone can drink it. The morgage in place awaiting the fianlization and we are good to go. Packing has commenced thansk to my Mom and my sister who is really into this lol. Thank heavens as i walked from cupboard to cupbard muttering "i don't like this job"...

While we are at the new place today awaiting the septic guy my sister and i walked from space to space trying to figure out where pens should be built. Some how it was way easeir here adding one at a time as pigs needed a home. But this is a blank slate and the company i hired to come out to estimate how much all this is going to cost will hopefully be there on Thursday with some good ideas.

I also hope he is willing to work with a chairty who might magiclly get an offering of 2x 6's or rolls and rolls of stucco wire. Highley unlikley, but again i have hopes and dreams. Threw this entire process i ahve been so griped with fear racing from place to palce to buy i haven't had time to get materials donated somehow.

Carport Penny is in trouble as is Mouse and the two combined will spend 5000.00 trying to help them survive. Anything surgical is 2500.00 when a standard nueter is 500.00.

We really need some fundraisers right now , even like the one we had the other night, gosh if we could have a few of those right now!! Bottle drives anyone??

I had an offer of a hi hab truck to move houses , i pray they are still willing and able. We will need at least 5sheds built prior to the move to ahve in place as well.

Keep the prayers and postive thoughts coming freinds!!

Hearts On Noses Needs Rescuing

The fundraiser on Friday night brought nine of us including my sister and my mother besides the regular patrons who were there for the weekly Friday night meal served at the Legion. Thank you for coming Mom, Nancy, Tracy, Deb, Jim, Diana, Craig, and Erin.

Thank you so much too Trena who worked so hard for us and her girlfreind whose name has slipped my mind. Your both awesome!! To Wylie and The Other Guy band who were a hoot and kept us entertained and the The Abbotsford Legion who hosted our event.

The guy at the table next to me told me he used to have a pot bellied pig. He got killed by the train so they roasted him, he tasted good.

The old guy who passed me outside from the smoke section told me " pigs belong on plates as pork chops" ..

I stood in front of the crowd knowing i was in the middle of an agriculture based area in font of people who could of cared less who I was or what i did and gave a short spiel of why i do what i do.

There were beautiful items on the silent auction table and just about every one in the place got an excellent door prize.

The band was too funny and really good, and sang songs with piggy in them. Instead of check check he said pig pig over the microphone. . lol

I danced with some old drunk , got a good meal and had an excellent time. We made about 400.00 which is better then our two day open houses garage sales. I also came home with an original painting by Diana Durand!!!!!!!!

People reading this might think oh my that is terrible but this is a simple example of my reality and what i face every day rescuing pigs here in Canada.

Now will every one please say a prayer i find a place to buy and that me and my pigs will be welcome there. I have made another offer that is not only in question of the zoning as pigs may not even be allowed on this acreage and then the tenant living in this house has put her heels in and will not give it up with out proper two months notice. I told them to up the anti as i am desperate now. Cold weather is nipping at my heels and this will screw up everything with sinking posts and getting ready once all the red tape is clear. As it stands now i may only get two weeks and frankly i haven't been able to hire a crew yet as i have no idea where i am going. This is NOT how i envisioned any of this going down.

I lay awake every night wondering where all my pigs will go if we don't find a place soon. No rental is going to allow me to come in with 40 pigs and the money to move houses/sheds and build pens will be money wasted on a temporary situation. Both CDART( Kelowna 4 hours away) and SAINTS ( mission 30 minutes) ) have offered to put me up in an emergency but again this will be a nightmare I don't want to walk into. I may have no choice if something doesn't work out right for us soon!!!!!! My animals scattered all over BC... please God help us.

Dixie Chick leaves us..

Dixie Chick and Dylan arrived only two years ago. They had been wandering the neighborhood of Surrey trying to fend for themselves with winter fast approaching. The SPCA gathered them up and then contacted me about these two friends asking if I had room for two more.



Dixie arrived and it was obvious something wasn’t right as she sort of scooted with her back arched that could have been caused by an injury but my gut feeling was that it was sort of degeneration of the spine. The vet we brought her too did not x-ray her as per my booked appointment, he decided to send her home with injections and supplements . I was at work when my best volunteer took her there and my anger didn’t change the out come .



The only time Dixie wanted to go and explore the acreage was when she was in heat. And no matter how many times I opened the gate just for them so they could have the whole run of the place without worry of the others she never took me up on going out.



She looked so much like my Princess Erma they could be sisters , she even ate like a lady and I told her she must be royalty too.



The supplements were routinely fed and when that didn’t change anything I moved to something new , and then something else and two weeks ago I added more pain treatments. The worry of winter coming and her quality of life questioned daily I tried to be encouraged with a move as I would separate her from her friend and bring her into the house.



Last night I went out to feed and she wasn’t outside to greet me like she always did. I lifted the flap to check on her and her eyes looked blue glazed over, maybe she was much older then I had suspected. Pretty pigs age pretty too. She refused her food and then her apple .



When I went back out with antibiotics I had a feeling of guilt forcing this into her because in my heart I knew she was letting go and letting me know. I gave them to her anyways.. I emailed my vet early before I even went out this morning as I knew what I must do for this little girl.



It is pouring rain here and I went right to them this morning and Dylan laying right up to her , his friend was gone. My Lady Dixie Chick did it all by herself.

No more pain Dixie, no snow to worry about and no move. She lived and died loved here and that is the way she wanted it.

Noted to add that Forever In Peace Pet Cremation Services, 2-33149 London Avenue, Mission, British Columbia, Canada V2V 4P9, 1-800-934-3418, foreverinpeace@wcteltech.net (handles horses) picked her up and will return with her ashes on Monday. She will be coming with me , my way.

SOLD

Its been a while since i could sit still long enough to up date my blog. I have been in a frantic state of mind complete with heart pounding. Yes the acreage sold and with a rent back for one month leaves me with a get out of dodge November 30th. My realtor Sue Galway of Coldwell has been awesome at picking me up and driving me from here to 2 hours away looking for my dream to become a reality.
Well thats not going to happen because there is very little on the market in way of acrages to be found, no one is there right mind would be moving large animals in winter so there simply isn't much to choose from.

I have gone from rural to farm land but I will not live next door to some animal factory as my life would be consumed by there torment and my need to go in one night and set them all free. This of course narrows down my search even more although one place i was pleasantly surprised to find out the 4 fat cows living next door were ten years old and the guys pets. However, it was in the flood plain and i am not going any where near where i have to worry about flooding again.

I have found dream places that would work for the pigs and I but no pasture for my horses. I will not put my horses in some crappy paddock when they have lived in a home where there is room to run and be who they are.

I will be putting an offer on a place today that is far too much money but gives me 19 checks out of 24 on my must have list. It does however have a beautful suite complete with your own entrance to rent to help me out with my mortgage.

Wish me luck!!!!!!!

Abbotsford Legion October 23 FundRaiser

Held at the Abbotsford Legion, 2513 West Railway Abbotsford 604-853-1711

My contact cell number is 604-556-4138

Friday October 23,2009

Dinner at 6pm ,musical entertainment by Wylie & The Other Guy starting at 7pm

They are a wife (Wylie) and hubby team, so nice and quite funny.

Dinner is: vegetarian lasagna, green salad and crusty bread with apple crumble for desert.

There will be a veggie tray and a num-num tray put out about 9pm

There will be a silent auction, 50/50 draw and door prizes. Possibly some draw baskets depending on what I can get people to donate!

Tickets are ONLY $8.00 each.

Wouldnt it be great to sell out? There are only 60 available.

Talk to you soon.

Trena
Piggy Fundraiser Co-ordinator!

Comet Gets Presents

There is nothing better then getting presents in the mail. Wrapped in pretty pink paisley, in fact the card was wrapped the same way. Oh no these were not for me but for Comet who is sponsored by June who lives in Ontario. A few weeks of Comet being chosen for June i received one of those little cards you get when some one has a baby. This baby boy announcement went out to all of her friends. So in return i carefully saved some of Comets summer shed bristles and carefully tied them in a blue bow and sent them off in the mail.

The gifts arrived a few weeks ago but i had to wait for a sunny day so i could take pictures of this big event. Inside there was a pigs choice menu filled with peanuts and raisins, all the way from Ontario.

I would of let Comet open them himself but i have watched him take off down pasture with a bag of my cookies and another time ripped from visitors hands a bag of apples. His method is grab and flight. So in order to capture the moment he waited like a good pig until i could get his treats out.

Pigs Ears

You see them in the pet stores every where now in the same place they sell pet pig food. Sold too dog people for there canine friends to chew on and yes they are real pigs ears. Last week an added chew box was filled with snouts , little pink baby pig noses looking up at me by the hundreds in a box. Pigs are slaughtered at 5-6 monthes so yes baby ears and baby noses. The public bought the pigs ears and accepted them so now they are testing the waters with snouts.

Have you ever looked at a pig picture and noticed the v notch cut outs in the ears? Pig farmers who claim they are a good bunch and treat the pigs well before they ship to slaughter.. The notches represent litters and vaccines and this is how they do it.


I bring this up because Scotch, one of our pot bellies has notches in his ears. He also had an ear tag, normally placed there when shipped across the state line after being in quarantine and suffering threw all there medical tests. He has a hole threw his ear now as we had the tag removed when he was neutered. Scotch is one of Jeans foster kids and he and i spent some time together under the crab apple tree today.

Scotch is everything magic and i told him he was a special pig as he has a deepness within him that comes from wisdom. One that when your eyes meet with his they touch your heart. He leans into you and genuinely loves you and he sings while you stroke his bristles much like a Mom pig does to her babies when feeding. Gentle oofs emerge in rhythm and i watch him give one of his sons a gesture you normally see a cat do, he leans over and rubs the little pig with his head in love.

After our time together, the bondng filled both of our hearts. I watched him a few minutes later spin and buck in happiness and this my friends is how all pigs should live and all it takes is love.

Always Half Full

I am sure my life is not so different from anyone else in regards to the curve balls life throws at you.

The fact that i bought a decent truck and spent too much money only a few years ago that needed a new engine and then a transmission shouldn't get me down. And the motor went on the third trip to the vets in North van with the last of ten babies born to two pigs i agreed to take from the SPCA. Two turns into twelve and then the pig left here by who knows was also met head on. The computer i bought used, was replaced with a new one and then sent in for repairs 6 months later to some one else and it still is not operating as it should. I bought a new heater for the turtle tank and even that had to be returned as it didn't work. Free bags of feed met with open arms ended up at the dump all rotten didn't discourage me either. Applying for a grant, that was a complete waste of time, and the funds to mail it. As it was denied. Having an offer on the house and fear of moving and where, was enough to give me a heart attack but i am still here. The deal falling threw while i was out looking at new properties didn't turn me into a mound of mush nor did it send me into tears. The car wash fundraiser that was re booked because of miscommunication at the shop was to happen this Saturday was cancelled by someone. ( ??) I just found out after calling them a few minutes ago. No one would do this, as that call would have to be done by me and I never cancelled anything as no matter moving or selling we need the money . CTV called about coming out here to do a story and I didn't hear the phone ring because i was outside working.

Is this how life is for every body? I am really only going back two years, a few monthes, a couple of weeks , yesterday and a few mintues ago. And i could write a few dozen more things but i don't want to bore you as the flood happened before all that did and i can't seem to remember much before that happened now and maybe that is a good thing.

I seem to be one of those people who can take a beating and still get up, go ahead call me Rocky.

I will get threw this , I will!!!!!!!!

And one day i won't be beating my head against the wall and volunteers will come , fundraisers will happen and more animals will be saved because we have the money.

A case of apples is dropped off , a new friend helps me from Edmonton and another sponsor comes in.

And that is how i get threw the day here every day, oh and a waggy tail is the icing.

Hi-Yo Oh Silver Awayyyyyyyyyy

Perhaps the title chosen is one many of you younger readers won't understand. But for many of us they are the departing words of a cowboy on white horse on a TV show we watched when we were very young. Depticing all that is good wearing a white cowboy hat he rode off into the sunset riding his horse named Silver but not before saving the town and its good people from the bad guys in more ways then one.

Dayna arrived ten days ago, driving 13 hours from Edmonton to help someone she didn't know. Having always loved pigs found us on the net and chose to spend her vacation time here with me and the pigs. An email arrived asking if i could use some help and one telephone conversation later she was on the way.

And in the first few days of her arrival we packed straw into houses, unloaded hay, raked pens, pushed wheelbarrows and set aside every thing in my cupboards offensive. She brought easy to read cook books and taught me about reading ingredients that have lactose and whey. I ate things I have never even heard of and bit into others that for all sorts of reasons i found distasteful, which is bizarre for even me when you think about what could be more disgusting then eating something that had suffered before it got to my glass or my plate.

Dayna was natural with the pigs and they all loved her as she cooed her sweet messages and we talked late every night. We shared stories of frustration in all that we stand for, her a staunch vegan whose quest to educate and me a sanctuary director both animal activists in all that we do 24/7.

She talked about the difference of organic meat and dried pigs ears. One from an animal who was never medicated for any of its ailments and one who had medications force fed. Setting aside the obvious fact they both die horrifically and unnaturally it is all deadly to the enviormment, our health and our pets.

I have been vegan for ten days and ate meatless chicken salad, egg-less sandwiches , soups and fake chicken breasts. I drank soy milk both plain and chocolate as i removed dairy products from my world and i slept better and didn't feel sleepy before dinner time after working all day.

Now i am not one to cook and i still have all the fast foods i craved or left behind 16 years ago as she made me eat something new twice a day ( hahaha ) so its all good. Some of the products are so meat like its gross to me so there ya go. If I want a meat loaf sandwich i found the perfect substitute and I tried all the things i thought would be gross and how bizarre as what could be more gross then eating flesh.

She is smart and funny and living together came easy for both of us and in my heart i know the animals of the world, our planet, the kids here, and I have a friend.

Saying good bye this morning came easy as i was still half a sleep ,had only drank a bit of my coffee and it was so early. She jumped in her electric car and i grabbed a rain coat so i could open the gates. And it wasn't until after i waved good bye and i closed those gates did a wave of emotions take over. And as I continue on here typing the tears are falling like the rain she left in.

Hi-Yo Silver, away.

The Challange when Rescuing Pigs

This past week has been nothing but advertising , net working, table at the SPCA event and even a spot on the News. I am sure the amount of time we are seen in the news most will think wow she must be doing okay , she is always in the paper.

The facts are that a little networking got us 225.00 , the ad in the paper another couple of hundred and the TV spot 50.00.
We were however contacted by a gal who offered to put a fundraiser on for us at the Legion in Abbotford, a few emails asking about volunteering and a couple of calls asking about pigs for adoption.
That is good and is is how we have got to where we are today yet why we cannot do more then we are doing.

When i moved here in 1993 i was renting, and this is where i found my little Willy who taught me about loving pigs. When my landlord was going to sell it, I asked him if he would be willing to go into a partnership. This is how i bought this place and over the years i kept giving him more money and here i am today having the land and title, but him still owning 17% .

As most of you know the acreage is for sale , I can't afford to double my mortgage payment in order to buy my partner out. He wants the return now on his investment , its been 16 years. We have two acres and 41 grazing animals here and it is not enough room. I love everyone who lives here and my drive to do more for them is what keeps me moving forward. That one needs a bigger space , so do they and if i expand the piggy paddock's I cut into the horses pasture and everyone area to run free is effected. The open pasture becomes smaller and smaller every time i put up a pen.

Summer is easy but the winters are brutal. And for a species who needs the same temperatures as we do to survive with short legs in snow that must be shoveled before i can even feed at night well something has got to give. Before it is me, i need a better way to work this sanctuary so it can be maintained more efficiently. I am 52 year old and i am not sure how long i can keep up with this work so if i can't find pig help then i must bring in enough money to pay for it and that's not happening either.

I had two offers on the table yesterday and here we go . Now that i face the impending move i am scared and doubt everything i am doing. I am like the pigs , i am stubborn. It is what has kept me moving forward in everything i do. And I have faith and hope that if i re build , more help will come because i am doing Gods work and he has kept us safe. We never have to much but we always have what we need.

Last Wednesday Dayna arrived here who found out about us on the Internet and drove here from Edmonton to help me for ten days. I am desperate for help here so having someone move in with me for ten days is a blessing! She is vegan , has brought me cook books , bought everything and every day here i am eating nothing that suffered because of me. I have noticed i am not so tired at the end of the day , i don't wake up during the night thirsty and although some of it will acquire me having to get used to, if that is what i have to eat verses the flesh or end result of suffering that is what i will eat. Although i have not eaten meat for 16 years i cannot get what i need in peanut butter sandwiches from the lack of education on how to eat. And i will have to live 100 years or more as i have to be here to take care of pigs.

I had free range eggs in my fridge. What you don't want to know is that hens are the only thing that can lays eggs of course and while millions of little tiny yellow chicks move down the conveyor belts peeping , the boys are picked and chucked into a grinder. By eating eggs I am perpetuating standard practice in the poultry industry ..it goes on and on. My no egg tofu sandwich was just as good and no one was ground while alive for me.


I have a guy here doing community hours so i better get out there and follow behind what he is doing out there.

Our grant was denied as i bet most animals welfare groups are reading in emails in B.C. today so that insurance for the year has been removed. But they are not rescuing pigs and TV spots and advertising brings them in thousands of dollars so although they might be reeling, they will be okay because the public cares about cats and dogs just not pigs.

More to say but go to go for now , have a great day!

CBC Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Short post , crazy busy here!!! But we will be on TV Sunday . Our interview will be aired at 11:00 am!! That is what they tell me!

Totally a surprise , I came in the hosue and there was an email telling me they were on there way here !!!!!!! LOL

'You've Got A Friend In Me: Lessons in Love I Learned At the Fair' : Ventura : Ventura County Star

'You've Got A Friend In Me: Lessons in Love I Learned At the Fair' : Ventura : Ventura County Star

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Hearts On Noses is Advertising!!

Okay i made the big leap and spent some of the pigs money on advertising for both volunteers and financial support. "Think like a business", they tell me so relying on the monthly media attention we get from our local papers for years now on everything from the flood to community support like our shed delivery. And Craig Spences novel idea, or our pigs kissing principles all over the lower mainland does not bring the pigs any really huge public support. Our ad worth thousands is a one time deal as the price we got in itself is a miracle alone so with added prayers I hope to get the help with it "we" as in the pigs and I need!

Today's third phone call generated from the first ad last Tuesday i can't return because the number left on the answering machine is not clear. ;o(( The first call wanting a couple of pigs and the second from a genuine kind man who spoke with love of the pig they once had.

With the advertising and the articles in the papers this sanctuary has generated over the years i know had i of been rescuing cats or dogs we would surely be living in the Sanctuary of our dreams. I love cats and dogs and share my life with them and help in that field when i can but NO one is helping pigs or farm animals in B.C. in a big way. And it is not for lack of trying , let me tell you!!!!!!!!!

I even wrote one of the bigger players here in B.C. who works to change the laws of animals in production but basically got the " i must be doing something wrong" letter with a list of recommendations of how to proceed. HAHA Thanks , but i am doing the job 24/7 here and by writing you i was doing just that and trying to get you see the need for this Sanctuary to succeed in B.C. We are working for the same thing. I just live with, the animals your trying to change laws for. My first pig Willy would say " humpf " here.

Yes we do get support , yes the pigs have money in the bank but we are only maintaining the current work here. We need more to expand, help more, build a medical facility , an education center, provide tours for children, young adults and seniors.

I am more then grateful for EVERY person , dollar and visitor that comes threw here . If not for YOU the animals who live here now would not be safe. But what about the ones at the auction standing there in fear , smelling the death that surrounds them. And those left behind on abandoned properties waiting for someone like me??? The little goats and mini horse's the donkeys who were kids pets now wondering why they ended up in the slaughter line. Where is the darn family who left them to die this way , I need to be here!!!!!!!! Please please help me save them, save more .. i am ready to start crying now so I need to go out to a pig now that we saved .. spread the word for this little Sanctuary.

Victory for Pigs in Canada

HAPPY DANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!





John J. Pippin, M.D., F.A.C.C.
There was no valid justification for using
live animals.

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Training.org

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Trauma Training cause
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Another Victory for Pigs in Canada


Life continues to improve for pigs in Canada. In July, PCRM announced an Advanced Trauma Life Support win for pigs in Toronto. Now, the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine announced that it too will stop using live pigs in its program and exclusively use the TraumaMan System.


PCRM planned to file a complaint on Sept. 2 with the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) against the University of Saskatchewan. It urged officials to end the use of pigs in upcoming trauma training courses because it violated Canada’s national animal welfare standards.

But PCRM’s senior medical and research adviser John Pippin, M.D., recently learned that the university purchased and received one TraumaMan System and will rent a second. The TraumaMan System will replace the use of animals in the university’s Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) program. The university’s decision was covered by Canwest, the largest media company in Canada, and was reported in newspapers and TV stations across the country.

“The use of live pigs at the University of Saskatchewan undoubtedly caused pain and distress, and there was no valid justification for using live animals,” says Dr. Pippin. “The university’s decision to purchase the TraumaMan System underscores what 95 percent of ATLS programs already know: nonanimal teaching methods offer a more effective—and more humane—way to teach lifesaving procedures.”

Prior to the planned September complaint, Dr. Pippin sent three letters to the head of the trauma training program, Paul Hayes, F.R.C.S.C., that went unanswered, although he acknowledged seeing the letters. In the letters, Dr. Pippin asked that Dr. Hayes stop killing pigs in its trauma training program and switch to superior nonanimal training methods.

The win follows PCRM’s recent success at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, which stopped using animals and now exclusively uses the TraumaMan System.

But there’s still plenty of work to do in Canada and the United States. This summer, PCRM argued that Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s use of live pigs in a July trauma training course violated the federal Animal Welfare Act. ATLS training conducted at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee involves cutting into live, anesthetized pigs and practicing emergency medical procedures. Effective nonanimal training methods have been approved by the American College of Surgeons, the body overseeing these courses.

Vanderbilt is one of the last institutions in the country using animals in such courses. Lifelike human patient simulators or human cadavers are used at 95 percent of U.S. and Canadian facilities providing ATLS training.

But you can contact Vanderbilt’s dean of the school of medicine Jeffrey R. Balser, M.D., Ph.D., today and politely ask him to end animal use in the institution’s ATLS program before the October course.

To find learn more about ending animal use in ATLS programs, please visit HumaneTraumaTraining.org. Then join our Humane Trauma Training cause on Facebook.

New Friends

A few pictures of new freinds of the Sanctaury, Natalie and Sam with the Lacy and Dior. The girls groomed both the horses on Saturday and as you can see they were all very happy.