Across the country, pet owners are giving up their pets. The reasons are as varied as the pet owners themselves are. Potbellied pigs are abandoned because the pet owner adopted the pig on a whim, did not have enough information prior to the adoption to know if the pig was appropriate for their families, moved to a new location and could not take the pig, found the pig was not legal within his city limits, tired of the pig and just decided to throw it away, spoiled and did not train his pig so the pig became intolerable, abused the pig and animal control seized the pig to protect it from further abuse, became sick and could not care for his pet properly, died and no one in the family wanted it, changed his lifestyle and did not have time to devote to the pig any longer. The list of reasons goes on and on. The reason the pig ends up in a shelter is of little concern to the pig that is living there. In most cases, its owner once loved the pig, and now it is living in a strange environment wondering where its old herd and its soft bed are?
Caring people, who have the welfare of their abandoned charges at heart, run most potbellied pig shelters. The shelter staff often have a potbellied pig as a house pet themselves and are involved in community service with their pigs. They are knowledgeable about the physical and behavior characteristics of the pet pig and in particular those pigs in their shelter. They are more than happy to explain all the good and bad points of each of their pigs. You are better informed if you and your family are fully aware of the pig’s background, character, physical problems and training it has. The shelter staff is always available to teach you exactly what you can do to help retrain your prospective pet’s bad behavior, or maintain it’s good behavior.
It is wise to visit the shelter, if possible. By doing so you can see for yourself the facilities, how the shelter staff interacts with their pigs, and visit with your prospective pet. Should you be unable to spend time at the shelter, all reputable shelters will be glad to provide you with references, with permission from their clients.
You can expect your pig to be spayed or neutered. If your female pig is not spayed, the primary reason is the potential health risk to the pig or lack of funding for the shelter. All male pigs should definitely be neutered prior to adoption. The pet pigs will be vaccinated and wormed. Some of the pigs will be registered and come with their papers and some will not. Check with your zoning officials to determine your local zoning ordinances and their requirements. If you are traveling across a state line, the shelter will provide you with a certified health certificate and health permit number as required by the federal government.
In some cases, the shelter staff has spent hours rehabilitating a foundling pig. This rehabilitation may be due to poor health, poor physical condition or behavior problems. It is the goal of the shelter staff to find the perfect, permanent home for each of its pigs. The staff will be as clear as possible about what you can expect and ways for you to handle your new pig. They are always available for ongoing consultation, should you need it.
Due to the high cost and time involved preparing your pig to become a good companion pet, most shelters require an adoption fee. If you find a shelter that does not, it would be a good idea to offer them a donation so that they can continue to help other pigs.
The shelters provide an invaluable service to the potbellied pig community. If a shelter pig is a good choice for you and your family, you can expect the same professional care and training as you would from a reputable breeder.
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