You don’t want to miss out on this incredible tale of survival.
As I write this out, I’m still in awe of how piglet Percival managed to survive.
Several months ago, a family purchased two piglets for their children. Being unfamiliar with potbellied pigs, it comes as no surprise the family soon lost interest. If unsocialized and unhandled, potbellied pigs – like many animals – become difficult to handle.
As you might already know, pigs are great at digging and rooting. Sturdy fences are needed to keep these voracious explorers safe. Percival grew bored and found his way onto his neighbor’s property.
And that is where the drama begins. Lucky for Percival, it’s not where his life ends.
If you’ve ever had a stray animal show up on your property, you might worry about how your existing companion animals will react.
Lucky (and unlucky) for Percival, he met a horse on his neighbor’s property. The horse decided immediately that Percival needed protection.
Percival felt safe with his new horse friend. But his equine protector felt she had to protect him from everyone! She attacked her fellow horses. Any human who entered the pen was immediately charged and kicked at.
She took her job seriously and, while admirable, it proved dangerous.
The neighbor called animal control and the police. Attempts to capture Percival failed in the face of flailing hooves from an angry horse. Animal control refused to try while the horse was in the pen. The police called it a civil matter and told the neighbor, “well, guess you have a pig now.”
That’s when the neighbor called us in desperation. Percival’s life was at great risk!
“The pig’s “owner” came and shot the pig! My horse is freaking out. If you don’t come out, I’m going to have to kill this pig.”
How would you respond to those chilling words?
Like us, you might find a way to get out to help the pig! That is exactly what we did.
The horse’s guardian had the protective horse sedated so that our team could go out and “safely” catch the pig. That proved a bit more difficult, as the horse was placed in a standing sedation.
Can you imagine trying to catch a frightened piglet while dodging a mildly sedated horse? Not ideal, but our team did it!
We wish the horse and piglet could have stayed together. The level of love and protection the horse showed to this pig is likely what saved his life. Shooting him would have been very difficult and she kept predators away from him as well.
➡️With your $50 gift, you mend the broken bodies and heal the emotional wounds caused by violence.⬅️
This is where you make a difference, Percival. With the generosity and compassion of supporters like you, we continue our vital work. Your donation provides the necessary supportive care that animals like Percival need to heal and thrive.
Percival is now safe at Animal Place. He has a wound to his leg, likely a graze from the thankfully poorly aimed bullet. Another wound is on his chest, possibly from fencing or another injury. He needs to be neutered as well.
We estimate he is about 4 months old. He weighs about 35 lbs. Percival is very shy with humans. Caregivers spend their breaks with him to help get him more social.
You know that we will do everything in our power to help Percival recover physically and emotionally. It’s what we do. You provide the insurance needed to get Percival neutered, treatment for his injuries, and lifelong care.
➡️With your $75 donation, you become the hero animals like Percival need to thrive.⬅️
Your support enables us to rescue, rehabilitate, and provide a loving home for animals who have suffered.
Before I wrote this to you, I sat with Percival in his stall while feeding him fig newtons! His favorite. I looked around – his temperature controlled room is inside our donor-funded medical center. His private stall is full of fresh straw bedding. He has two bowls full of treats and snacks to try. I love to see an animal start to feel safe and secure.
Percival needs you. He needs your support to keep his bed warm and fresh. It’s your generosity that gets him neutered. And it is your kindness that provides him treats that will help him see humans as friends.
Please donate today. Your gift will directly impact the lives of animals in need and make possible the transformation we have witnessed time and time again. Together, we can create a world where every animal is cherished and protected.
Without you, there is no us.
