[Gpdd] ANNOUNCE Three new Piggyfriends

[Penny Charlesworth]

A couple of weeks ago, an old friend called to say that she knew someone
who wanted to rehome her piggies and she told her about me. I called to say
that I would be pleased to take her piggies. She was feeling guilty about
handing them over but ( usual story ) they had been her children's pets and
they had lost interest. How many times have I heard this tale?

There is always room for another piggy or three as, sadly, they don't live
forever and pens become vacant.

I told her about Piggyfriends and she told me about her piggies. I think
that she wanted me to make the decision for her but I said that it had to
be her choice so I asked if she would like to come and see us before
deciding. She said that she would call back but I didn't hear from her
again and thought that she had decided to keep them, even though she was
having to do the caring. Last Friday, she did call and arranged to come and
see us yesterday. She brought the piggies with her to save a journey if she
chose to leave them here.

These piggies have always lived outside in what sounded like a well made
hutch and run with a cover and lots of hay but England in winter is no
place for piggies to be outside. She met all of my Piggyfriends and said
that she would leave her piggies here as they are getting older and she was
worried about the forthcoming winter. We had endless snow last winter and,
however much hay they have, being out in the cold and dark cannot be much
fun for them.

So they are settling into a pen of their own. They are a little family.
Mother, Poppy, was a rescue who was, unbeknown to this lady and her
husband, pregnant at the time of rescue and of the three babes, one sow and
one boar are still with her. The daughter is called Cerys and the son is
Max, who has been neutered so they live together. They are a patchwork of
various browns and white and the younger ones have crests. Poppy is at
least 5 and the babes were born in July 2009 so they are 4. I wish that
they were younger but they are assured of a comfortable retirement here.

She also brought a bag of hay, some veggies, a bendy stick tunnel, a pigloo
and a little wooden house from their run, two bags of newspapers ( very
welcome ) and a huge bag of the pellets that they are used to having. She
also left some cash in an envelope. That was a huge surprise as I usually
just get the pigs and the offer of a hutch. I could have had their hutch
and run but have plenty of these from previous owners. I use a few in my
summer pen for shelters but don't need any more so I suggested that she
might be able to sell it in our local free ad paper.

The piggies have eaten everything that I have offered and are very
friendly.They rushed out oinking at me this morning and looked on in
anticipation as the veggies were handed round. They are used to having
daily grass and wolfed down their share.They are in better condition than
many of the piggies that have made their way here. They just need their
claws trimmed, which I will do this afternoon when I worm them and, next
week, I'll give them all a shampoo, once they have settled in. They have
never been wormed and when I explained about this to their owner, she said
that she wished that she had learned more about guinea pigs before
acquiring any. If only everyone thought that way.

I'll take some pigtures to share and will post when they are ready.

I've had a Poppy before but Max and Cerys are new names. I'll keep their
names as their owner accepted my offer to visit when she likes. My late
Poppy won't mind. She was a very outgoing agouti pig who enjoyed being a
part of RSPCA Pet Days at our local school along with her mum, dad,
siblings and friends.

So, please welcome Poppy, Max and Cerys to the Piggyfriends herd.

Penny and the Piggyfriends.