Pot-Bellied Pandemonium

June 13, 2009– Pot Bellied Padnemonium

     It was with great reluctance that we trimmed the pot bellied pigs’ hooves today.  Their previous homes had failed to provide such critical care and they could barely walk, their hooves were so over-grown.  We have given them time to settle in, hoping to tame them somewhat before we subjected them to this.  They arrived quite mistrustful of humans, and although we’ve made a lot of progress with Annabelle, poor Petunia is still terrifed of humans.

     Our fantastic friends the Pooles have a sanctuary of their own and have become my gurus, coaching me along when I have doubts.  Well-versed in pig hoof trimming they came to our aid today.  The pigs are incredibly strong and it takes four adults using all their might to pin them. Sadly, there is no other way to do this job. The vet informed me that pot bellies vomit a great deal when sedated and pinning them is the quickest and safest way to do the job.

     The pigs kept trying to be together, running into us as we were trying to catch each pig, so we had to separate the girls in two stalls and then set to work.  After packing our ears with cotton to muffle the squealing we knew would come, we flipped each pig, and then straining to hold them down, they screamed and writhed while our friend trimmed away.  Each pig was done in minutes and was back on her feet, shaken and nervous but able to walk.  I fed them strawberries as an act of contrition and then let them out in the yard to lie in the sun and calm down.  I hope they don’t hold this against us, and allow me to re-gain their trust.

     And speaking of trust, last week an incredibly obese cat arrived.  I have seen many heavy cats, but never one with rolls of fat that extend from their chest over their legs and down to their knees.  A de-clawed housecat, she had over-eaten until she gained so much weight she could no longer clean herself, and was going to be put to sleep as her owners could no longer tolerate her smell.  I took her in and she is currently in a coop in the barn.  At first she went on a hunger strike and kept herself hidden under a blanket day and night, nervous of me.  Yesterday we turned a corner in our relationship.  Like a switch that was flipped, suddenly she decided I was okay and allowed me to pet her.  She rolled on her back for a tummy rub, purring away, and pushed my fingers with her head if I stopped petting her.  She is on a strict diet while we try and shed the extra weight.  Hopefully she will slim down enough to clean herself (the owners tell me twenty pounds was the tipping point), and then we can get her into a loving home.

     As well, hopefully a steer who has been running loose will arrive, if caught.  Perhaps he had a hunch he would one day be someone’s lunch, because he has been on the lam and won’t let anyone get near.  A friend is going to do her best to catch him and bring him here, and like with every other animal, we will try and earn his trust and find him a loving home.