Sweet but scared pig needs a forever home

Violet is 4 years old and weighs 120 pounds, but her weight isn’t the issue. Having been given up by her family, she simply gets anxious whenever people leave her.

Raised as a house pet, the pig spent her days inside, constantly around people.

So when she was surrendered to the Animal Rescue League’s Dedham Animal Care and Adoption Center in August, it came as a traumatic blow.

Although the staff set up Violet in an outdoor paddock and a comfortable enclosure, it wasn’t what she had been used to. Most of all, she didn’t have the constant companionship and interaction with people.

So she began acting out. During feeding time, Violet would charge, bark or nip at the ARL staff member or volunteer in the paddock and not allow them to leave.

“It was her way of saying, ‘I want you to stay,’ ” said Mike DeFina, an ARL spokesman,

The league consulted a pig expert, who believed that she  was exhibiting signs of depression and was fearful about being alone.

To help Violet overcome her depression and anxiety, she was taught a “back up” cue, using positive reinforcement to teach her that she needs to give space to anyone interacting with her.

Pigs are incredibly intelligent, DeFina said, and learning this cue has altered Violet’s behavior.

Now, she’s ready for a forever home.

Violet won’t get much bigger, if she gets bigger at all, and she’d like to be the queen and the only piggy in her new home. She enjoys the finer things in life, like apple juice in the morning and her favorite fruits and vegetables. She also enjoys pig pellets, is up to date on vaccinations, has been spayed and has been seen by ARL’s vet team.

Although she’s made great progress, she still gets afraid sometimes, DeFina said, so she needs a family who’ll have patience and understanding and who’ll give her time to adjust to her new home.

For more information about Violet, contact the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Dedham shelter at 781-326-0729.

 

 

 

 

 

 

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3q5YP5V