This summer Dane County Humane Society (DCHS) got a little hog wild when Rosie and Hamlet entered our lives. Rosie and Hamlet, adult potbellied pigs, were surrendered to DCHS this past May. Thanks to supporters like you, we are equipped to take on livestock in need and were able to open our barn to these two pigs.
When they first arrived both Rosie and Hamlet were overweight, so we put them on a healthy diet of leafy greens and pig chow to help them reach a healthy size. Hamlet, the larger of the two, had a hard time adjusting. He had lived in the same place for most of his life, but was now in a new place with lots of new people. We knew that Hamlet was stressed in his temporary home, so we turned to our friends and pig experts at Heartland Farm Sanctuary for their help to ensure that Hamlet would be set up for success.
Tera, the ambassador from Heartland Farm Sanctuary, came out to share her pig expertise with our staff and volunteers. Having worked with pigs for several years at Heartland Farm Sanctuary, Tera is very knowledgeable about pigs and has helped with education programs along with Heartland’s pig Percy. They visit camp programs and schools to teach people about the myth of “micro pigs” and what it takes to care for potbellied pigs as pets.
Tera was able to teach our staff and volunteers more about pig behavior, how to best communicate with Hamlet and Rosie and developed some enrichment activities to keep them entertained and stimulated while they waited for their forever home. She also came by DCHS several times a week to work with them and provide their care. In no time she was smitten.
Tera was already in the process of building a barn so she could have pigs of her own, and she knew that Rosie and Hamlet needed to join her family. On their adoption day Tera was literally jumping for joy as she signed the paperwork to make these piggies officially hers!
Rosie and Hamlet are now living their best pig life in a new temperature controlled barn with indoor and outdoor access. Tera is as happy as a pig in mud to have these two in her life.
“We are so grateful for Heartland Farm Sanctuary and Tera’s help with Rosie and Hamlet! Our partnerships with Heartland and other local and national animal welfare organizations help us continue to provide comfort, support and care to thousands of animals in need,” says Doug Brown, DCHS's Assistant Executive Director. “We are all working toward a common goal of helping people help animals, and it benefits everyone to work together to provide compassionate care and create a humane future.”
Your investment in DCHS gives us the opportunity to find all animals loving homes. Thank you for your generous support and willingness to make a commitment to building our foundation of helping people help animals with your philanthropy.
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