Blue-Eyes was a textbook gentle giant, an enormous Yorkshire with huge floppy ears. He was a big man. He was 900 pounds and very, very tall. He had one blue eye on his left. His right eye was brown. We don’t know his exact age or his exact story, but it really doesn’t matter. He was gentle and friendly and trusting and clean and smart…and kind of silly. He showed genuine emotion. He spoke to us in his own language. He felt pain and fear and happiness and joy just like you and me. He valued his family. He appreciated comfort. He communicated pretty clearly. He was no different than EVERY pig. He wasn’t more deserving of this beautiful life than any of the others. He just got very, very lucky to find people who valued him as an equal.
Blue Eyes suffered a pretty catastrophic hoof infection some years ago that ruined his foot. Out of survival, his body fused the entire claw. He walked on what looked more like a club than a hoof. By the time we met him, the damage was very extensive not only to his foot, but to his entire body. Lame, limping animals do significant harm to their joints and spine. He wasn’t a candidate for amputation…and he couldn’t go in a wheelchair. Palliative care was our only option. The pain in his front foot made it impossible for Blue-Eyes to stay mobile, which is essential for huge animals.
Watching a huge, majestic animal like Blue-Eyed Wilbur come to the end of his life is one of the most painful and beautiful experiences in animal rescue. In his last several months, we gave Blue-Eyes a comfortable existence in his herd. Easy access to water and food. Comfortable housing and bedding. Twice daily nurse visits. Pain management. All the things. We knew our time was limited…and we knew he’d let us know when it was time. His mobility had steadily declined because of that foot, and we physically lifted him ourselves for most meals.
He lived with a gaggle of old guys for a long time here…Reggie, Elton, James Henry, Plutarch, Hillbilly Wilbur, Henry David Thoreau, Biaggio, Arky, Sneaky Ella and Angie Vivian. They were his people. They loved him more than we can understand…and they knew he was ready.
He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his people with his head looking out of his special window. He chose his own spot. His giant body was relaxed and warm. The sun kissed his face. We could hear the chimes on Solsbury Hill from inside his house. Plutarch and Biaggio were beside him. He passed with his entire soul packaged in respect and admiration for who he was as an individual.
Blue-Eyes was the alpha of the Old Guys Neighborhood, not because he was aggressive or dominant, but because the others simply respected him. He carried himself with an air of grace and wisdom. He was eager to meet any human visitors and he was adored by every one of them. His quiet authority touched everyone around him. His ears…his smile…his one blue eye. He was larger than life in every possible way. He was our friend, and we loved him dearly.
“See you on the other side, k?”
