Petunia the Pig was rescued from a highway rest stop June 15, 2023 by Kerri Hegel of Prince George-based PG Tickled Pig Rescue. (PG Tickled Pig Rescue Facebook)

Petunia the Pig was rescued from a highway rest stop June 15, 2023 by Kerri Hegel of Prince George-based PG Tickled Pig Rescue. (PG Tickled Pig Rescue Facebook)

Pig settles in to new home after being rescued from B.C. rest stop

Prince George-based pig rescue takes in abandoned animal

After being rescued from a B.C. highway rest stop, a pig has a new name and a new home.

Kerri Hegel said she received a call June 15 for a possibly pregnant pig at a rest stop north of Hixon, adding she was told the pig “was going to have babies any day.”

She drove out there, and while they found a pig – it wasn’t pregnant.

After talking to some people in the area to see if the pig had a home, Hegel didn’t have any luck and loaded up the pig and brought her home.

Hegel runs PG Tickled Pig Rescue in Prince George, and noticing the pig had overgrown hooves, they booked her in for veterinary appointment.

On Thursday (June 22), the pig had her hooves trimmed as they were giving her a hard time walking.

Hegel said she didn’t know if the pig would need to be sedated for the trimming, so she brought the pig inside to keep her away from food.

“She got quite accustomed to laying on that (dog) bed in the house. Last night I couldn’t get her back outside.”

Now more than a week after rescuing her, Hegel said they’ve decided to keep the pig.

“If she does well with the herd – which I’m pretty sure she’s going to – then I don’t want to upset her and move her again. I think staying here is probably best. She’s getting quite used to us,” explained Hegel, adding her 13-year-old daughter has grown close to the pig.

The family has also decided on a name, Petunia.

Hegel said one of their other pigs, Rupert, “absolutely loved her and he broke through the fence to be with her.”

“So now as a joke we call him Porky Pig and she’s his Petunia.”


@laurenpcollins1
lauren.collins@blackpress.ca

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Animals