At Star’s Piggly Wigglys Sanctuary, the 36 rescue pigs are loved from their tail to their snout.
It all started 10 years ago, when founder Faith Affleck got a pig of her own and named her Star, after whom the sanctuary is named.
After Star got sick and died, Affleck’s passion to take care of animals in need has only grown. She since purchased another pig, Pumba, and it grew from there, taking in other pigs that the owners could no longer care for.
“They all have their own different personalities, they have their own different stories,” said Affleck.
After four moves in 10 years, the sanctuary can mark the milestone with a new permanent home in Summerland, B.C. along with becoming an officially registered charity.
“We live on five acres,” said Affleck. “We are building two more pens now, because I am rescuing two more pigs hopefully in the next couple weeks.”
Those five acres are where the pigs, four chickens, one duck, two roosters and a farm cat can now settle into a safe space.
Affleck has come up with multiple ways to support the animals who call the sanctuary home, ranging from donations, to volunteer work, bottle drives, and an opportunity for people to sponsor certain pigs to spend time with them.
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Ann Jakobsen sponsors ‘Pete’ special needs pig and visits him as much as she can.
“He has what is called cerebral hypoplasia and what that is that at some point in his life he had some nerve damage in his brain. It could have been natural, it could have been an infection, who knows, but it causes their heads to tilt. But they’re normal and it doesn’t bother them at all,” said Jakobsen.
Pete is just one of the many success stories to come from the sanctuary, where Affleck and her team are still building pens, pig houses and barn space to make sure the new home is comfortable for the animals in their care.
There will be an open house at Star’s Piggly Wigglys Sanctuary May 27 and 28 where you can meet the pigs yourself. Affleck also is in need of donations and volunteers, for more information about how to get involved send them an email at spwsanctuary@outlook.com or visit their Facebook page.
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