Penny was one of the 159 pigs surrendered to OMI when we moved to Tennessee and took over the herd in 2021. She lived here with her brother, Skinny Wilbur. Penny was nearing the end of her long life when we met her, which is an honor for pigs like Penny. So many of them are bred into existence solely for the purpose of being used as commodities, and her particular breed would have been slaughtered at six months old. Instead, Penny lived a very long life for a farmed pig, and she lived her remaining time surrounded by her family and her trusted caregivers.
Caring for the elderly is one of the more challenging parts of animal rescue and it’s the part that gets very little attention. Babies will win the internet, but elderly animals are just as deserving of our respect and affection. Helping animals like Penny finish her life with dignity involves constant vigilance over her comfort, her physical abilities and her enjoyment of the things we know are most important to her.
Arthritis pain is a terrible thing for large pigs. Penny had been struggling for some time. We tried all our tricks and meds to help her pain, but arthritis wins every time.
We take elder care just as seriously as we do the care of youngsters and we are grateful for the rare opportunity to help rescued farmed animals live their full lifespan here.