Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Single Plump Female Seeks Loving Companion

Companion Wanted

Plump but currently petite and youthful diva with an inflated sense of privilege and a ton of energy seeks a companion or two or three, any sex, with a willingness to work hard to develop a compatible life-long relationship . Sense of humor imperative. Size not an issue – I hope mine won’t be, either. I may grow to be a BIG girl. Must occasionally put up with my pigheaded behaviour, but will be rewarded with affection, entertainment, and laughter. Prefer financially secure homeowner with small acreage. I'm not interested in having offspring or ending up on someone’s table – serious inquiries only, please.
Contact the Cowichan and District SPCA at 250-746-4646 for more information and ask for an application form for Dover.

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Dover has gone back to her regular foster, but what she really needs is a great forever home. That home must be prepared to offer her comfort, safety and companionship for her entire natural lifespan. A big unknown is her potential size - a fullgrown Berkshire is 600-700 pounds, but her current weight (about 3 pounds, after her stay with Auntie Jean) is well below that of the other  pigs in the litter, who are the more typical 20-25 pounds and about the size of a small pitbull. Whether she is a genetic anomoly and will remain disproportionately small, or whether she will eventually catch up to breed average is a huge unknown.

Once she has achieved a safe weight, she will be spayed and available for adoption. She will need a special placement with someone who can work with her so she doesn't become a 600 pound pushing, shoving pigheaded Diva. She will only go to a home who will keep her as a companion pig (though not necessarily a house pig!) for life - she is not for slaughter, for eating, for breeding. While the breed itself, a Heritage breed with a small population, is considered vulnerable, it is quite simply poor animal husbandry to breed the runt of the litter. And animals who are wanted for breeding are often considered disposable once their breeding years are over. Dover must be wanted for herself, for her piggy personality, not for what she may or may not bring to the table. Oops....poor choice of words.  

Ideally, she will share her new life with another pig - pigs are herd animals and do best with others of their kind.  Pigs can be picky about their pen-pals, but a pig-savvy person who takes things one step at a time can often effect a successful introduction that allows unrelated pigs to become good friends. At the very least, she will need other non-predator companion animals around her - unless you plan to share your house and your bed with a large porcine princess.

So: If you are interested in adopting Dover, can offer her a lifetime home, and are either pig-savvy or very willing to be mentored, please contact Sandi at the SPCA, 250-746-4646. And if you can't adopt Dover, but know of people who may be interested and fit the criteria, please send them a link to this blog (let them know there are several entries about Dover, not just this one, so they can see what a busy little girl she is!).

We hope that networking with our animal-loving friends will help us find Dover's perfect forever home. Suitable applicants will go through the usual rescue process which includes a homecheck.



Adopt me!

5 comments:

georgia little pea said...

I read every word of this ad. It's so good! I learnt quite a few things about pigs too. I never knew they were fussy about their friends. And 5-600lbs! Isn't that like the weight of a Bengal?!! Come to think of it, I remember that pic of you and a full-grown piggie when I first discovered your blog. It was BIG.

What she can bring to the table indeed *snigger* Maybe it'd be safer to place her AFTER Christmas. I hope Dover finds her home soon x

Black Jack's Carol said...

That first photo was just perfect to attract a "loving companion". What a sweet-looking piggie Dover is! I've been enjoying your posts and videos, Jean, and like georgia little pea, have learned a lot. I had no idea they could be such divas, and wow - that's quite the weight-range potential. Let's hope that wonderfully written ad brings Dover and her perfect companion together soon.

EvenSong said...

Oh, Jean--I am so tempted to offer to take Dover! She is so cute and cuddly (for a pig)!
We had a resident pig on one of the Thoroughbred breeding farms I worked at in California, way back when. Had the run of the place, and always wanted to help with chores. Other than that, however, I have no knowledge base or experience from which to draw. Our neighbors do 4H pigs, but you know what happens to them after the fair! :-(
Maybe I should consider fostering for the local equine rescue, now that my numbers are down...

Morning Bray Farm said...

Oh, Jean! Dover is simply beautiful! Aww...

What a perfect ad. Here's to Dover finding a perfect forever home very soon. xo

Unknown said...

I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed reading about your foster experience with Dover. I have thought about her so much that I am now dreaming of pigs :)