Pigeon was a Red Wattle who had the most gorgeous eyes. They were bright amber and always full of mischief. This older photo of her was always a favorite because you can really appreciate her pretty eyes. She moved to the property along with her brother, Gatlin, when their family could no longer care for them. After their arrival, Pigeon and Gatlin decided to make the Feral Neighborhood their home.
When we arrived in Tennessee, Pigeon was one of the 54 females we spayed as part of our preventative reproductive healthcare effort. We had her evaluated at the University of Tennessee after her spay for persistent limping, and they identified a strange deformity in her tendons that made it difficult for her to walk. We were able to manage that by making her terrain and her housing as easy as possible. She had arthritis in her joints and we managed that with multiple pain meds we adjusted for her very regularly. She had gum disease that we had surgically debrided for her, and we helped her manage it with daily mouthwash. Yep…mouthwash for a pig.
We said goodbye to her after several years of managing many medical issues. In her last few days, she decided she’d had enough. Her pain was too much aggravation for her to get up and do her normal things, and we knew that was the sign we needed. She soon wouldn’t stand at all, and we knew it was her time. We had to physically lift her for transport to the university, where they helped ease her pain very quickly and gently. They knew her well, and it was as peaceful a process as possible.
Pigeon was loved in the Feral Neighborhood. Gatlin passed away a couple of years ago, and her chosen family included a gaggle of friends like Yankee Wilbur, Baby Miracle, Jedediah, Eli, Ennis, Everett, and Harlan. She slept beside Big Boss Charity and Joey a lot of the time, too. She loved the swamp. She loved Secret Snacks. She was gentle and friendly and very amenable to all the things we did to help her maintain her quality of life.
She was very loved and respected by her animal and human family, and she will be missed by us all. While our hearts are heavy with the loss, we will honor our friend by taking care of her people.
