Life with Pigs

Happy Birthday to my best friend Jenna! Can’t believe you are 4!!! So glad you escaped the dairy industry and let me learn to be a cow parent with you!

@ShunPseudonyms We'll check it out!

@LifewithPigs The video won't play. It goes to a blank screen.

3 things you might not know about cows, and the most important is the bonus fact!

How could anyone eat “leg of lamb” knowing that this is the face behind it? This is Huckleberry. Huck was listed online for $150 but not as a companion. Just as something that would likely end up on someone’s plate last Easter. Or best case scenario he would have been used to make babies to be eaten until he grew old and was discarded. That’s the reality for so many lambs this time of year. Easter is filled with images of cute baby animals, but for many of them, it ends in suffering. Huck almost became one of those stories. Instead, he ended with us. And it was fortunate he did. Not long after he came to us, Huck developed a bladder stone that blocked him from being able to pee. It’s a life-threatening condition. He was in severe pain and his body was shutting down fast. We rushed him into emergency care. He needed surgery to survive. He spent a full week in the hospital, and there were moments where we didn’t know if he was going to make it. But he did. And now he follows us around. He leans into us. He trusts us completely. He acts just like a dog in so many ways, wanting comfort, connection, and safety. And most of all love. This is what we do at Life With Pigs. We take what could have been a tragic ending and give it a chance to become the ‘someone’ they always were meant to be. But we can’t do it alone. The only reason Huck is here today is because people chose to care. People chose to support us and see him as someone worth saving. And that support is what turns stories like his from what could have been a horror into a happily ever after. Thank you for being a part of Huckleberry’s story! Support Our Sanctuary at give-usa.keela.co/x-donations

When I’m Feeling Blue… it’s pretty clear all I have to do. Jenna has the magical ability to always cheer me up with almost no effort! So today for Tunetastic Tuesday I sang Jenna Phil Collins’ “Groovy King of Love” #lifewithpigs #jennathecalfwholived #tunetastictuesday #cows

Every morning a bridge troll is waiting to make the pigs’ morning exit from the living room a little more challenging. So I have to go out and negotiate for safe passage. Fortunately, Edna is willing to exchange chin scratches in exchange for leaving the pigs’ booties free from hornings.

We could not find Rachel the turkey ANYWHERE. After searching and searching, we finally found her stuck between a wire and a wood fence. She was looking for a nesting spot and became trapped.

This is what Life With Pigs story time looks like. And come November, everyone will have to leave a little space for the human baby on the way. Little Gwen is going to have such a magical childhood surrounded with so much love!

@rhithmdivine Thank you for your kind words ❤️

@LifewithPigs Heartfelt condolences. Elton was such a handsome rooster with an endearing personality.❤️ How perceptive of sweet Huckleberry! He could sense your sadness and came to comfort❤️

Losing our fluffy-footed rooster Elton was been hard on us. Just days before, he was sneaking bits of food from the dogs without a care in the world. One of the original family members of Life With Pigs with a very distinctive crow (turn sound on to hear) he leaves a giant Elton-shaped hole with his passing. Elton took great care of his ladies, spending his days tending to their needs - his first loves, cornish cross sisters Talia and Talulah, and later, his pal Indy who he cuddled with every night. He was flamboyant and a bit high-strung, with endlessly entertaining facial expressions and fluffy little feet made for dancing. After burying him, Huckleberry saw me crying and of course had to come over to cheer me up (with head-butts, clearly the only thing appropriate for that moment). Through the sad times here, there is always someone to remind us why it is all worth it. We miss you, little buddy.

@VictoryGin2 Thanks! She's disappointed the announcement wasn't carrots!

@LifewithPigs I think she took that pretty well. Congratulations! 🍾

New incoming family member alert! Though this one is not exactly the kind that Jenna was expecting... 🍼 👶

@Rachael57354278 Thank you! 💗

@LifewithPigs Congratulations 💗💐

@Preservation945 Thanks!! ❤️

@LifewithPigs Congratulations

@GeorginaMangan4 Thank you!! 😊

@LifewithPigs Mallory and Ryan - delighted for you both. Congratulations! Jenna will make a fabulous big sister… all the animals will be thrilled with a new arrival! Brilliant news - well done 🥰

@CROWSPLAY1 She is! ❤️

@LifewithPigs She is not only beautiful- she is precious beyond words~ 🩷💗🤍🩷💗🤍

This is what happens when Jenna has to watch dad and a group of volunteers go across the street to work. Even though they are working on fencing in a grazing area mostly for her, she feels that she should be there supervising and assisting. And sampling the grass.

Jenna doesn’t like sweet treats. It’s just a fact…. She had no interest in my smoothie.

Sweet dreams, Indy. She said goodbye to her buddy Elton today before we buried him. And we are all missing him so much already.

😞 another rough night!! Poor Elton passed away last night shortly after arriving at the Vet ER. He was fine yesterday morning and seemed off a little by afternoon and then just seem to be completely lethargic and losing his ability to stand by night. He was 7 years old but there is never enough time with any of our animals and we will miss is big personality, willingness to endure hugs gracefully, and fluffy feet. Indy is currently staying inside with us as she deals with the loss of her pal. So we will be giving her extra love and attention. And now this morning, our dog Odin is falling over as he tries to walk so we have an emergency vet visit at 4. So, things just keep happening and sleep and processing our loss with have to wait. Sanctuary hard can be rough and unrelenting at times, but we do love knowing that Elton had a magical life here and could not have been loved more! Support our Sanctuary at give-usa.keela.co/donate-from-yo…

Annie may not be Irish, but does look great in green! So Happy St. Patrick’s Day!