Baron is a very large Red Wattle, and he was one of the 159 pigs surrendered to OMI when we moved to Tennessee and took over the herd in 2021. Baron is one of the most gregarious and friendly boys in the Carpet House neighborhood. He’s a beloved member of a huge herd of older pigs including Twinkie, Timbo, Toot, Puddles, Easter, Kiwi, Scarlett and Sally Mae. Pigs here have the ability to roam the property as they please, but they have a natural tendency to choose one house and one family group to call their home. It’s a super interesting study in pig behavior to watch the dynamics between herd mates as we add and subtract family members over time. Baron is a gentle leader in his herd who never fights. His size commands a good degree of respect from the herd. It’s an honor to work beside these animals day in and day out and observe their social structures over time. We try our best to respect their natural instincts and behaviors while providing them with safety and a support structure to live their best lives.
While it may seem “glamorous” to try and let them live like their wild/feral ancestors, pigs like Baron are domesticated animals who do not have enough natural instinct to survive on their own. They need a good degree of human support to stay healthy and live long lives. Without that support, they would suffer with hoof problems, injuries, malnutrition and a generally shorter life span. Our philosophy of care involves providing animals with preventative care like vaccines, hoof care, tusk trimming and management of parasites in the environment. We also work hard to provide good quality nutrition, adequate forage, enriching environments, safe substrate for them to walk on, secure fencing and professional veterinary care. Even our pigs who were born in the wild are still considered “domesticated” because of how long they’ve been in a sanctuary setting. Everyone here gets the same level of supportive care to ensure they can live as long and healthy of a life as possible
