Pig Rescue Successful

In conjunction with the American Humane Association, Farm Sanctuary and Animal Rescue League of Boston, IFAW rescued 10 pigs, stranded for weeks on a levee in Iowa.  The pigs are now resting at a vacant barn until they can be transported to their "forever" home at Farm Sanctuary.  The rescue involved long days that involved both water operations and land operations in four-wheelers.

Among these 10 pigs, there are two that have formed a special bond. One a fully mature pig, and the other younger pig.  Even though the vet on-site confirmed they were not blood relatives, the young one had clearly become attached and adopted the older pig as it's mother.

After weeks in the sun with no shelter the suffering these pigs have endured is quite evident. The ears, backs, and faces are literally charred black from the sunburns, and the skin is in the process of peeling off.

In addition to this group, the IFAW team also been getting calls from around town when pigs are spotted, and are called on to assist. Just yesterday, we received a call about four pigs spotted outside a barn in the middle of town. A team was dispatched to assess the situation and unfortunately, by the time they reached the site, only three of the four pigs were still alive. Rescuers said it was evident that the fourth pig had been lost only in the last 24 hours.

 

Among the three pigs found living on site, responders saw one of the pigs seemingly guarding the door of the barn. Upon stepping inside, it was immediately clear why. This pig had given birth in the days prior and the inside of the barn revealed the evidence of that - eight piglets that had recently perished. The mother was very skinny and it was obvious the birthing had taken a toll on her. Responders decided to try and nourish the pigs before attempting to move them, and left 100 lbs of pig feed with them before moving on. They are being checked daily, until they are strong enough to move.

Rescue efforts are on-going, so please check back daily for further updates.  And if you can, please consider making a donation to ensure that IFAW is always ready to respond to disasters like this one.