[Gpdd] ANNOUNCE The new Piggyfriends are here.

[Penny Charlesworth]

I had a call last night from our Rodentologists to say that the rescued
boys were ready for collection and I went to fetch them home this afternoon.

They have put on weight since last I saw them and the little Dalmation's
incision has healed up so completely that one would never know that it had
been there.

They were both terrified when they arrived at our Rodentologists, tearing
round their cage and climbing up the bars in fright, but lots of handling
and TLC has turned them into two very friendly boys, who are currently
demolishing a pile of grass and veggies without caring that I keep walking
by to admire them or that my cockatiels are singing away right next to them.

They are supposed to be 3/12 to 4 years old but who knows for sure. Before
being taken to the rescue, they had always lived in a cardboard box but we
do not know any more of their story. The rescue forwarded them to our
Rodentologists as the Rex was suspected to have a fungal infection, which
proved not to be the case and the Dalmation had to have an op to remove a
benign tumour.

I have decided to call the Dalmation Domino and as I often name pairs that
arrive together with the same initial, the Rex will be Diarmuid. Lots of
early Piggyfriends had Gaelic names but I have never used this one.
Pronounce it Dermot. Every time I see him, I think that Roscoe is in the
wrong pen. Diarmuid could be his son, they are so alike.

When I got there, the ladies who run Palace Piggies Rescue were there with
a few little patients and they told me about a big rescue with which they
are involved. A huge number of piggies from somewhere in Wales will need
help. I don't know all the story but there are many sows, mostly ( probably
all ) pregnant, as these needy piggies seem to have all been kept together.
These are being spread out amongst many rescues. Palace Piggies have been
asked if they can help with the boars and are asking everyone they know if
they can take one or two. I said that I could take one or a pair when the
time comes.

If it had been sows needing a home, I could have taken more as I can always
add one or two or more to my big sow pens but boars need to be in pairs and
I am running out of room. The boar/sow ratio here has never been so high.
If I had cages, I could stack them like the ones at my Rodentologists but I
have floor pens, which take up a finite space.

I am going to take some pigtures of the new boys tomorrow and will put them
up on my Photobucket page for you to see. I'll post when they are there.

I'll let you know what happens about this big rescue in due course. In the
meantime, if anyone lives near Crawley in S.E.England, Palace Piggies would
love to hear from anyone who can give a piggy a good home. Here is their
website. Have a look at the lovely piggies anyway. Their own piggies have
lots of drink type names just like our Surrey Squeakers!

http://palacepiggierescue.org/default.aspx

Having eaten everything in sight, Domino and Diarmuid are curled up
together for a well earned nap. I am so pleased that they will not be
returned to the rescue, where they would have lived in hutches outside.
They can have a comfortable retirement here in the warm with many friends
around them. BTW The rescue from whence they came is not Palace Piggies,
where huge cosy sheds are available to the residents.

I hope that this is not too long for the Mods.

Penny and the Piggyfriends.