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.