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Pigs Living Free
When they are able to live free, pigs' personalities and special skills can really shine. Like other farm animals, pigs are very intelligent and lovable creatures who are quite good at solving problems and learning from one another. When they are not forced to live on factory farms, pigs prefer to live in groups and are very protective of their young and each other. Pigs aren't filthy creatures like you may have heard, but are actually quite tidy and clean. Pigs like to make nests with fresh straw and almost never go to the bathroom near resting areas. Pigs do like to hang out in the mud, but they need to do this because they can't sweat and mud helps them cool off. Although pigs like to sleep, they also like to have the freedom to move around, dig in the dirt with their noses, as well as play and spend time with other pigs. Younger, more playful pigs will often chase each other or enjoy games of tug-of-war. Pigs who are treated kindly by people will often respond to their names being called and will even roll over, just like dogs, for belly rubs and scratches. Like purring cats, free pigs joyfully grunt and will even wag their tails when they are feeling happy.
Lassen was once a tiny, sickly and weak piglet. Brought into the world to be a 4-H farming club project, Lassen didn't turn out to be all his "owners" hoped he would be. As a result, they no longer cared about the poor little piglet and stopped taking care of him. Unable to compete with his stronger siblings for his mother's milk, Lassen could not get all he needed to survive on his own and almost died. Thankfully, a kind animal control officer found out about Lassen's suffering and stepped in to save his life. With lots of attention and TLC, Lassen soon made a full recovery and is now living happily at our California Shelter. |
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