Maple was rescued in Chicago after being discovered as a sickly runt in a pig production facility. After many months of foster care and professional vetting, she was finally cleared of illness, and ready for Sanctuary Babe life. Runts are considered unworthy of the effort and expense it takes to help them thrive, and they’re discarded in whatever way is easiest. A few lottery winners end up on the “sanctuary” track, but a staggering number never get that chance. Sickly animals are often treated as disposable. If a rescuer is in the right place at the right time, we can intervene and advocate for their release.
Young pigs like Maple can be fostered in private homes with smaller yards, but they grow very quickly, gain hundreds of pounds, and become enormously destructive if they do not have appropriate space. While the rescue of babies is something most compassionate people can manage, the long term care of large breed pigs has a lot of special requirements. One of the key ingredients at Odd Man Inn is trying to allow the pigs as much space as we possibly can. Hooved animals naturally do a lot of damage on the land. That combined with the natural tendency of pigs to root up the earth, means they will do more destruction than Mother Nature can repair, if they are housed in too small a space. Striking a balance where Maple gets to live an enriching and satisfying life while also being respectful of the impact on the land is something that requires constant diligence from our onsite team. Capacity management isn’t just about available spots to sleep. It takes into consideration the lifetime care of an animal resident, which in Maple’s case could be 10-15 years!
