Theodore, the 800-pound pig who was found roaming the Fraser Highway in Langley last summer, is travelling to his forever home today (Friday, Jan. 25) after waiting almost half a year for a suitable owner.
WATCH: Theo the 800-pound pig will soon be living high on the hog
After being in the care of the Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS) since August, Theo was loaded onto a three-horse travel trailer and sent off to his new home at A Home for Hooves Farm Sanctuary in Duncan on Vancouver Island.
Getting Theo onto the trailer wasn’t an easy feat according to LAPS animal control officer Tina Jensen Fogt, who said the process took about two hours.
“It took us awhile. He [Theo] certainly wasn’t interested in cooperating right away. He saw the fence panels come out and he was like ‘I’m onto you guys, I’m not doing this.'” said Jensen Fogt.
But with enough coaxing, and a lot of donuts and cookies, Theo headed off to begin a new life on the Island.
“He was five steps ahead of us the whole time. He’s not a big fan of travel, and he’s a little stressed,” added Jensen Fogt.
“I’m so excited for him. I’m also excited to get five to ten hours of my week back to focus on other responsibilities.”
Jensen Fogt accompanied Theo to his new home, and added that BC Ferries covered the cost of the trailer and passenger fees bothways.
Theo’s new home at A Home for Hooves is run by Michelle Singleton, and the sanctuary is filled with pot-belly pigs, sheep, goats, ducks, and chickens.
More recently, Singleton adopted a similar-sized Berkshire pig named Lilian to provide Theo with companionship.
After coming into the care of LAPS last summer, the group was able to identify Theo’s original owner, who chose not to claim him.
Before finding a forever home, Theo lived at a property owned by Jensen Fogt’s mother, since LAPS didn’t have the capacity to house such a large animal.
Finding a suitable home for Theo was challenging, so in December, LAPS issued a public call out for potential owners, and received more than 50 offers.
According to Jensen Fogt, A Home for Hooves was chosen based on proximity, experience, and companionship.
Jensen Fogt said she will miss having Theo’s “quirky” personality around, as he “loves his tummy rubs and a good scratch.”
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