One day the man said he was going to shoot Ennis. Some caring people contacted us to see if we could provide refuge for Ennis. Learning of his possible fate we immediately agreed to welcome him. We already had Delilah, and it only seemed right that she have a friend. And this way, Ennis's life would be saved.
The day that Ennis arrived was a cold winter day. Delilah was not the welcoming pig that we anticipated. Ennis was frightened from his trip, from the only home he had known, and now, to be met with Delilah! Could things get much worse?
Ennis walked up to the house and lay in front of the house shivering. Certainly he must have been cold, but he was also very scared! As Ennis lay there trembling, I thought of the countless number of pigs on factory farms whose lives were consumed with fear and misery. Ennis will be nurtured and soothed. Most pigs will never have a gentle touch or a tender word spoken to them.
We set up shelter for Ennis in Pete’s warm and cozy shop.
It’s been five and a half years since Ennis’s arrival. He shares his home with Delilah, Dwin and Miss Piggy now. In the summer he lays under rose bushes, lilac bushes and gathers apples that fall from the trees. He has introduced his friends to the finer things, such as creating a bed beneath the plum tree and rolling in mud in 'Spa Porcine'. Ennis loves scratches and attention. Aside from being a little pushy, Ennis is incredibly charming, sensitive and responsive to kindness.
So many potbellied and miniature pigs are purchased and 'gotten rid of' within the first year of their lives. They are 'too big', 'don't have time for', 'children lost interest' are just a few 'reasons' we hear. Where does the cycle begin and end? If only we would think of the results of our actions, consider the lives we impact. Is it so difficult to offer security for an animal? To care for them, as we care for our own wants? What harm comes from making this commitment?
Love and peace to all pigs.
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