Carl was one of the eight pigs transferred to OMI when Spring Farm Sanctuary downsized their operations in 2022. As a baby, Carl was removed from the farm by a worker to be a cute prop for a kids’ birthday party. Carl couldn’t go back to his family after that because of the risk of illness, and the worker was stuck with him. Carl did become gravely sick, and the worker reached out for help, which is how he found a sanctuary home.
He’s a young Yorkshire male and a survivor of the animal agriculture industry. Yorkshire pigs, like many domesticated animals, are selectively bred to grow very fast in a short amount of time. This means we have to be very diligent about weight gain and their joint mobility. It is often trouble in those areas that cause their quality of life to decline at an unnaturally young age. Carl is a gentle, friendly boy who loves belly rubs, swamping and treats from our animal caregivers.
Carl lives in our Gen Pop herd of pigs, and his friends are a mixture of breeds: Mangalitsas, Herefords, Ferals and a few little potbellies, too! The area we call the Washington/Minnesota neighborhood is our most diverse representation of sizes and breeds on the whole property. It includes Jolene from Washington, Asher from Tennessee, sweet little potbellies like Mister Lee and Betsy, Ferals like Falkor and KuneKunes like Bubo! They’re the most beautiful representation of how different sizes and breeds can live in perfect harmony.
