January 22, 2024

We are delighted to share the heartwarming story of Pickles, a spirited 10-month-old Yorkshire Cross pig. He has recently found solace and companionship at Farmaste Animal Sanctuary.

Pickles came to Farmaste from a family who raised him for 4-H competitions for the first 10 months of his life. With his playful and friendly personality, he is adjusting well to sanctuary life. Integrating into a new herd, especially navigating the intricate pig hierarchy, can be challenging. Still, Pickles is determined to befriend Violet, another resident at Farmaste. He even sneaks into the house where Violet sleeps and quietly hangs out in there hoping she won’t be upset that he has disturbed her.

Pickles is a bundle of energy, finding joy in playing with his human friends and in simple delights like straw. An endearing quirk of his is cleaning rocks in his mouth. Farmaste is diligently working with him to drop the rocks when offered food, preventing any potential tooth damage.

His distinctive ear notches tell a story of his early farm life. They serve as identifiers of his litter and birth order. Unfortunately, this practice, done without anesthesia when pigs are just days old, is considered to be quite painful. The yellow ear tag is also left over from his days as a farmed animal and they are working on the legal process to get it removed.

Farmaste cherishes the opportunity to provide Pickles with a loving and compassionate environment. He joins a family of 22 other residents at this peaceful refuge.