Animal Welfare Professionals

Hello, 

We operate our rescue and sanctuary in a state that is overrun with unwanted animals. Not just cats and dogs, but PET PIGS! We currently have over 300 pet pigs in our care and get intake requests daily.  Suitable adopters are much more difficult to find as most people have not done their research and can give these animals the home and care they need. 90-95% of pet pigs are rehomed before their second birthday. I am curious how other shelters and rescues and states are handling the crisis.

I would be interested to hear from other shelters and rescue professionals from all over the following information:

1. Does your shelter take in owner surrender pigs?

2. Does your shelter take in stray pigs?

3.  What intake vetting is done for pigs at your shelter?

4.  Does your shelter adopt out pigs?

5. Does your shelter require spaying and neutering and that the pigs are kept as pets, or do they allow pigs to go to homes where they will be bred and/or eaten?

6. If your shelter does not intake pigs, do you receive calls with people reporting issues with stray pigs or needing to rehome their pet pig? And if so, what do you tell them?

#AdmissionsandIntake(includingIntake-to-placement)

------------------------------
Corrine Baker
Executive Director
Outsiders Farm & Sanctuary
GA
------------------------------

Hi Corrine, I'm so glad you brought this up! I am a proud pig mama and have fostered for Gracie's Acres in TN, pigs are a passion for me for sure. In my previous shelter we only took in stray pigs, no owner surrenders, and we had no designated spot for them aside from a standard dog kennel. We didn't have any medical protocols for pigs but did require that they be spayed/neutered before they went to their new home (sometimes done in-house with our vet, sometimes at University of Tennessee's vet school). Since they are allowed in the county, but not the city, we would make sure adopters were in the county or had a permit for a pig in city limits. We only adopted them out as pets, never food, however we didn't place limitations on indoor vs. outdoor.

I agree that pet pig overpopulation is a growing problem and has been for quite some time. The micropig myth is out there and when they grow to be adults (or even curious juveniles) they are incredibly hard to contain, which is why they get out and end up stray at shelters. Thank you for caring for so many of these special critters, and feel free to message me anytime if I can be of any assistance from East Tennessee!

------------------------------
Nichole Boudreau
Embedded Data & Implementation Coordinator
Human Animal Support Services at American Pets Alive!
TN
------------------------------