Elton was one of the 159 pigs surrendered to Odd Man Inn when we moved to Tennessee in 2021.
Elton lived most of his life as a sanctuary resident after being rescued as a young pig. He was a mixed breed farmed pig, which means it was an absolute miracle for him to spend a majority of his life without the fear of being processed for human consumption. Pigs like Elton are often part of backyard breeding operations, which is also commonly called “homesteading.” People who participate in homesteading breed small numbers of animals to feed their own families. It’s a great concept in being more conscious of the environment, but it does not have to involve exploiting and killing animals. Homesteaders can very reasonably live off the land on a plant-based diet, allowing sentient beings like Elton to live their lives in peace.
Elton died suddenly, which is not a common occurrence in large mammals. On necropsy, it was determined that he had a heart abnormality, which caused enlargement in one of his ventricles. Prey animals rarely show us any signs of struggle when they have a health problem, as was the case with Elton. They are genetically wired to hide weakness from predators, and that makes assessment nearly impossible in cases like this.
Elton was an honored resident of the Old Guys’ Neighborhood, and spent his life surrounded by his fellow animal agriculture survivors, Blue-Eyed Wilbur, Hillbilly Wilbur, Sneaky Ella, Angie Vivian, and quite a few more. He spent his life surrounded by companions, and by caregivers who saw and respected him for who he was. We are grateful that Elton knew the peace of sanctuary, and that his life was his own for so much of it.