MEET OUR RESIDENTS
Arthur - Our Original Resident
Some call it luck, we like to call it fate. What was supposed to be a simple property walkthrough turned into a rescue mission like no other.
Arthur a little piglet at the time, along with other animals who are also now in our care, were abandoned on what was an old backyard butcher farm.
We knew there and then that we were destined to turn such a horrible space into a positive environment for these animals and many more in the future.
Arthur brought us here, and thus Arthur's Acres was born.
The Bigs
Anne Claire
Anne Claire is now just over 2 years old. She was the tiniest of a large litter bred for show-quality Gloucestershire Old Spots (the same breed as our King Karl). Too small to compete for food, she quickly began to fail, and the breeder decided to euthanize her for not being “perfect.”
A kind worker stepped in and brought her home, but without proper knowledge, ended up taking her to a bunny show when she was only 6 days old—cold, weak, and struggling. Thankfully, a vet tech saw her condition, took over her care, and began looking for a safe, permanent home.
That’s when we got the call and on June 9, 2023, Anne Claire arrived at Arthur’s Acres.
Betty
Betty and Jane were also lab pigs, used to test the dual ventilator that doctors developed to help combat COVD-19.
Based on the scars along their backs, Betty and Jane were also used for chemical testing. Both brave girls were fortunately rescued.
Betty is incredibly sweet and has been a second mom to Baby Sara. Like the other testing pairs, Betty and Jane are very bonded and usually sleep next to each other.
Dorothy
Dorothy came with her sister Glinda from a backyard breeding/hoarding case that was so out of control that the breeder put a sign by the road saying "free pigs". The pigs were severely neglected, underfed, and malnourished. After recovering offsite, being spayed, and brought back to health, Glinda and Dorothy are two of the lucky ones that were rescued for life at a sanctuary. Dorothy is now about 4 months old, and she stays close to her sister as she learns about sanctuary life!
Fay
Fay and Vivian were rescued after being used for chemical testing at a research lab. While Vivian is very assertive, Fay is more genial and tends to do less and get a bit more rotund. That’s why we feed Fay separate from the other bigs, and give her a special diet.
Fay, Vivian and Arthur are their own tight little family within the herd, and Arthur usually sleeps guarding his two friends.
Glinda
Glinda came with her sister Dorothy from a backyard breeding/hoarding case that was so out of control that the breeder put a sign by the road saying "free pigs". The pigs were severely neglected, underfed, and malnourished. After recovering offsite, being spayed, and brought back to health, Glinda and Dorothy are two of the lucky ones that were rescued for life at a sanctuary. Glinda is now about 4 months old, and you can tell her from her sister as she has white socks on her legs.
Jane
Jane was also a lab pig and has a distinctive tear in her left ear that kind of looks like an earring.
She is goodness through and through and loves belly rubs more than any other Big Pig except Katniss (who is also Queen of Belly Rubs).
If ever there is someone causing trouble in the main barn, you can rest assured it’s not Jane or Betty who are too sweet and gentle to ever stir things up (unlike Vivian!).
Joy
Joy and her sister Wren were both lab pigs who spent their piglet childhood being burned with chemicals. Most lab pigs are euthanized after the testing, but Arthur’s Acres managed to rescue these two.
Joy is an absolute sweetheart and has been a kind of surrogate mother or sister to some of the newer rescues. Joy’s name suits her perfectly.
Leonard
Leonard (Lenny) is a Berkshire mix who was rescued from a petting zoo. Lenny crawled into his rescuer's lap to escape the kids, stopped shaking and fell asleep, exhausted from the stress and from being malnourished. The petting zoo operator said that once he got a little bigger he would be slaughtered. He went home with the rescuer as a foster, while she worked to find him a place where he could live a full and happy life. That home is now Arthur's Acres.
Max
Baby Max!! No matter how big Max gets, he will always be Baby Max. He was so tiny when he fell off a transport truck that was either on the way to slaughter or to a farm for fattening before slaughter. Either way, his future was bleak.
But as luck would have it, Baby Max, a tiny pink piglet, fell off the truck. A couple driving saw something dart across the road. Fortunately the couple pulled over and little Max ran up to them, sick and hungry.
We tracked down the farmer and convinced him to surrender Max—which he did because he didn’t want to care for a sick baby or pay for his medical bills. But we did!
Todd took Max into the house and nursed him back to health. Max was the first farm-pig house pig at Arthur’s Acres, but he eventually became a member of the Big Pig herd. Still, he’ll always be Baby Max to us.
Prim
Prim is our resident Zoomie Queen. Can a fully grown 700 lb pig do zoomies? Why yes indeed she can!
Prim arrived at Arthur's Acres several years ago, after being rescued from one of the most severe neglect cases in upstate NY.
Someone locked Prim, Katniss and Rue in a shed with no food or water and left them to die in the middle of nowhere, knee deep in their own feces.
Now Prim is one of our most playful big pigs and roams the fields grazing and looking for fun with her daughter Rue. And yes, on nice days or just for no reason at all, Prim will do a zoomie to the delight of anyone lucky enough to see her.
Regan
Regan and Russell were rescued from a factory farm in Iowa that agreed to surrender these two piglets. Arthur’s Acres worked with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to transport the piglets from Iowa to Parksville.
Regan and Russell are named for the dedicated animal rights activist Regan Russell, who was killed at a protest outside a slaughterhouse in Toronto.
Regan is growing to be nearly as big as Arthur and has similar orange and white coloring, but with the most beautiful eyes that look like someone expertly applied eyeliner.
Regan is gentle and friendly and of course very very bonded with Russell.
Rue
Rue is Prim’s daughter and was rescued with Prim and Katniss. All three were locked in a shed and left to starve to death.
But they all found their way to Arthur’s Acres and have been thriving ever since. Rue has the most beautiful coloring and while she’s playful like her mom, she sticks close to Prim and often follows her lead.
It’s unusual to see farm pig families because of animal agriculture, but with Rue and Prim, the family bond is so obvious and strong.
At night, Rue and Prim usually sleep side by side, mother and daughter, safe forever together.
Russell
Russell was rescued with Regan from a factory farm in Iowa that breeds 150,000 pigs a year for slaughter and houses 3,000 female pigs for breeding. We witnessed hundreds of young pigs kept crowded in pens with concrete floors. If you know how active, curious and energetic pigs are—and especially piglets—you can imagine what torture this is for them. No mud, no grass, no space, no sun. Just mental, physical and emotional torture.
Russell and Regan escaped that fate and now roam the fields of the farm, grazing, snouting up roots and mud, and taking naps together. Russell is the shyer of the two, but just as sweet and charming as her friend.
Sara
We never thought the former owner of the land that is now Arthur’s Acres would actually help save a life, but then Sara came along.
Before Arthur’s Acres bought the property, the former owner used it as a small-scale farm-to-table slaughterhouse. Many animals were slaughtered here. In excavating and restoring the property, we found so many animal bones and skulls.
Even after selling the land, the former owner continued to raise pigs for meat at a new location. When two of his piglets got sick, his intention was to let them die, but his daughter intervened.
The daughter contacted Arthur’s Acres and we agreed to take the sick piglets. Angel didn’t survive her illness, but Sara did. After a stay in the house, Sara moved into the barn and became a member of the Big Pig herd, often turning to Max as a big brother, Jane as a surrogate mom, and King Karl as her dad.
Vivian
Vivian and her sister Fay were lab pigs at an animal testing facility. Both have the scars from the chemicals tests all along their backs.
Most labs euthanize the testing pigs when the testing is finished, but Vivian and Fay were lucky. When they arrived at Arthur’s Acres, the only other Big Pig on the farm was Arthur. The three of them bonded immediately and now they are clearly a family unit.
A couple of years ago, Vivian developed an issue with her right eye and the vets at Cornell removed it. But she gets around perfectly well and is known for her obsession with food bowls. Usually she brings one or two with her into the barn after every meal. Why? Vivian hasn’t told us.
Winslow
Some pigs are shy or scared or traumatized or sick when they’re rescued. But Winslow was happy and self-sufficient from the moment his hooves hit the ground at Arthur’s Acres.
Local animal control had found this tiny black and white piglet with floppy ears, running along a road. Most likely he escaped from a truck transporting him to be used for meat. Animal control took him to an animal shelter that contacted us.
Winslow stole our hearts and very nearly became a permanent Big-Pig house pig, but as he grew, he liked hanging out with the other Bigs.
Winslow is still allowed to roam the whole farm with the pots on occasion. But at night he sleeps in the barn, usually close to King Karl who is the loving father figure for almost all on the farm—pigs and humans.
Wren
You can see the scars from her childhood on Wren’s back, but the lab testing never reached her soul. Wren is pure love.
She also has some David Bowie in her, with one brown eye and one blue.
Wren and Joy are both supermodel pigs—just beautiful inside and out. And as sisters, they stick together quite a bit. And several times a day they meet, touch snouts and check in with each other. Because sometimes family love is forever.
The Littles
Billie
A person intending to be a “breeder” bought two baby Kune Kunes in order to start her “business.” The male, though, had issues and the future “breeder” rethought her plan and contacted a local rescue. The rescue visited the house and was shocked that the pigs were living in a wet basement and sleeping on a rotten pallet with no access to the outside.
The rescue took the pigs and brought them to us, where they became Billie and Moby, two of the sweetest, friendliest Kune Kunes ever.
Billie is very self-assured and has been so from Day One. Also, that girl can fall asleep in a split second no matter where she is or what she’s laying on: stone, gravel, a doorstep, the middle of the driveway. Doesn’t matter, she’s out like a light.
Billie and Moby are very bonded and sleep together every night.
Brutus
When Todd heard Brutus’ story, his heart sank and he knew instantly he had to help.
Brutus was attacked by two dogs who took his ears and eyelids. Neighbor threw firecrackers to scare the dogs off and Brutus ran too. He hid alone and injured for weeks until the neighbor found him. Animal control wouldn’t pick him up and his owner didn’t want him either.
Arthur’s Acres took him in and got him medical care at Cornell immediately. Because Brutus has no eyelids, we switched the pot barn bedding from straw to blankets and snoozer beds to protect his eyes.
Brutus is the biggest love and is a belly rub aficionado. And he’s fallen for Daisy Mae—the two of them sleep together under their blankets every night. Daisy Mae pretends that she doesn’t care that much about Brutus but when he came back from a stay at Cornell for his ear, Daisy Mae was thrilled to have him back and to cuddle with him at night.
Buster
Buster may be the smaller of the two brothers, but he’s got just as much heart. He and his bigger brother, Floyd, were found running loose in North Carolina — a state known more for its pork industry than its compassion for pigs. Picked up by animal control and brought to a local shelter, they were quickly forgotten, receiving only the most basic care.
Thankfully, our friends at Blind Spot Animal Sanctuary stepped up. They got the brothers the medical care they needed, including neutering and proper nutrition, and kept them safe until they could make their way to Arthur’s Acres.
Like most Kunekunes, Buster is sweet as can be and loves a good belly rub. We’re hopeful he and Floyd will soon settle in with the rest of our pig Krew and start living the carefree, joyful life they deserve.
Chance
Chance arrived at Arthur's Acres Animal Sanctuary just as a rainstorm started. He experienced a lot of quick firsts between the van and his new space in the Love Shack ISO space: soft earth under his hooves, green grass to nibble on, rain on his back... and wide open space.
Only 1 1/2 years old, Chance had spent his entire life indoors in a small pen in a person's bedroom. The pen had room for a dog bed, a litter box, and a little space between the two for his water and food bowls. Receiving no exercise and being fed horrible foods such as spicy potato chips (pigs should NOT be fed salt), he arrived horribly obese and dehydrated. Until coming to us, he never had veternarian care or hoof care.
It's going to take time, but we will help fix all of this.
Charles
Charles’ previous people had dumped him at a dog & cat shelter. The story was that he was kept in a cage in an apartment and never allowed outside. Despite being less than a year old, he was also very overweight and had a severe limp on a back leg.
We had just lost Louie who also had an injured leg so we decided we could help Charles and took him in. As it turns out, the issue with his leg was a growth on his hoof that the vets at Cornell removed. This immediately improved his waling.
As it also turns out, Charles is the cuddliest pig in the entire world and while he’s shy with other pigs, he views every human lap as belonging to him.
As rehab for Charles’ leg and to help him lose weight, Todd took Charles on long walks through the fields every day. Charles now walks normally and has become really fit, but he’s still as cuddly as ever and no matter how sad you might feel, a cuddle with Charles with make the whole world feel warm again.
Cinderella
Cinderella, still a baby under a year old, was living with a hoarder who kept over 80 other pigs in a junkyard. None of the pigs had fresh water or food. Cinderella had already had a little of babies, despite her young age.
When the hoarder surrendered Cinderella, she was extremely shy around people and very withdrawn. But after some time in Pig Paradise, aka Arthur’s Acres, Cinderella reconnected with herself and began to explore all over the farm. She was fearless in darting under a fence and joining the Big Pigs for their veggie parties.
Todd began to call Cinderella, “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” because she’s become so self-assured. She also likes people now, loves belly rubs and is absolutely obsessed with tarps. She pulls them into various stalls constantly, arranging and re-arranging her beloved blue plastic tarps. Yes, tarps. We don’t get it either.
Daisy Mae
The people in Kentucky who “owned” Daisy Mae had no idea how to take care of a pig and no interest in learning how or actually doing it.
They let her become morbidly obese at only 5 years old. Because of her weight, she was also blind and riddled with arthritis, even at such a young age.
When Daisy arrived at Arthur’s Acres, she was too obese to risk surgery to get her fixed. And she had little interest in going outside or being with people or other pigs. But with love, care and proper nutrition, she lost weight and finally could be spayed and also have surgery on a mammary gland issue that had developed.
Now Daisy Mae is almost as slim and fit as Eve and loves to graze in the field and sleep in the sun. And she even likes people and belly rubs too.
Delilah
Delilah was rescued as a 3 year old Kunekune who (through no fault) of her own ended up at a shelter. She was part a domestic violence situation where one of the parties had to flee and took Delilah with them.
Unfortunately they ended up in the middle of a city where she was in a very small enclosure that was not safe. Delilah was surrendered to Animal Control and she ended up at a shelter.
Pigs don’t do well in a shelter environment so we knew we had to help this poor girl. We will give her time to decompress and give her the proper food to eat, and then the other pigs will help her learn how to live as part of a herd.
Ella Bean
Ella Bean’s person gave her up because she was living with domestic violence. The partner had threatened Ella Bean’s life with a gun on several occasions.
The person made the right decision and surrendered Ella Bean (formerly called Elshaba) to Theresa Perine. Theresa realized that Ella Bean was having serious trouble walking and needed more help than she was able to give.
We got Ella Bean to Cornell right away and the expert vets there took x-rays that showed she was missing part of her shoulder. She also had a club hoof on her front right side—both were birth defects that her body had been dealing with all 6 years of her life. This explained why Ella Bean had to lean back and throw her weight forward to be able to swing her leg to walk.
The vets fused Ella Bean's shoulder and it is functioning really well for Ella Bean. We continue to work with the Cornell vets to monitor her improvement.
Meanwhile, Ella Bean now can even run and loves to graze and also get belly rubs.
Eve
On Christmas Eve in 2020, we got a call about a potbelly pig in South Carolina being kept outside in an old dog crate. Animal Control had taken the pig to a facility with no pig experience, and this pig was in serious condition with horribly overgrown hooves.
We picked her up from South Carolina on New Year’s Eve and realized she had to be named Eve for her new start in life.
Eve has healed, lost weight and gained a giant attitude. She is the Queen of the Pot Barn and brooks no sass from anyone (except sometimes Izzy). She has also become a skilled and dedicated stalker of Todd. Day and night, in the barn or in the field, she will stalk Todd. This doesn’t mean that she won’t bite him when she feels like it. She is after all, Stalker Eve, and she keeps everyone in line, even the people she loves.
Floyd
Floyd’s journey to Arthur’s Acres wasn’t an easy one but you’d never know it from his sweet, gentle nature. He and his little brother, Buster, were found wandering loose in North Carolina—a place where pigs like them rarely get a second chance. Picked up by animal control and left at a local shelter, they were overlooked and received only the most basic care.
Luckily, Blind Spot Animal Sanctuary stepped up and gave these brothers the attention they desperately needed. They were neutered, transitioned to a healthy diet and given the medical exams they’d gone without for far too long. During this care, Floyd was found to have a melanocytic tumor. A melanin bleach test has been requested to help further understand the lesion and we’ll continue monitoring him closely to ensure he receives the best care possible.
Despite everything he’s been through, Floyd is a total lovebug, especially if belly rubs are involved. We’re so happy he’s finally in a place where he’ll always be treated with the kindness, respect and care he deserves.
Hans
Hans was staying at a school where the kids were abusing him and shocking him with a cattle prod. We got a call about the situation and then got Hans out of there.
Would Hans have PTSD from the abuse? We didn’t know. But from the moment his hooves hit the ground at Arthur’s Acres, Hans has been happiness personified.
He spent his very first afternoon at the farm eating acorns and leaves in the fall sun. Kune Kunes love to graze and Hans is now usually out in the field grazing away, but he comes in to say hi, drink water and tell us all how fantastic the whole world is.
Hans is the living manifestation of “Don’t Worry Be Happy” and any human who spends some time around him soon begins to feel that way too.
Harlene Rita
Harlene Rita is named for Todd's beautiful late Aunt. Todd was boarding an airplane for his Aunt's services when he received a message about a beautiful 2 day old baby Kunekune who was very weak.
All of Harlene Rita's siblings had passed away after their Mom had rejected them and this sweet baby girl was the only survivor. At 5 days old, she only weighed 1.7 pounds. We feel Aunt Harlene had something to do with getting the farmer in touch with Todd and we are forever grateful for this little ray of sunshine.
Izzy
Izzy’s previous name was “Pork Chop” and his “owners” abused him, kicked him, fed him junk and let him live in garbage. After Izzy ran away (and who could blame him), the people contacted us and we got him out of there.
As you might imagine, Izzy was traumatized from his previous home. It took quite a while for him to decompress, relax and begin to know that humans would love him not hurt him.
Every step of Izzy’s healing journey has been amazing to witness: his first belly rub, starting to take naps in the sun alone in the field, starting to snuggle with other pigs at night. Now Izzy is part of the herd and loves humans and pets, with just occasional PTSD triggers.
As the trauma of his past recedes more and more into the past, Izzy comes more and more into the love and goodness that is his life now.
Joaquin
A horse farm noticed Joaquin had wandered onto their property. After several days, no one claimed him, so a woman adopted him and brought him home. Her dogs began attacking Joaquin, though, so she couldn’t keep him and reached out to Arthur’s Acres.
We took him in and believe he’s at least partly a Kune Kune pig. At first, Joaquin lived in the house with Wilbur and Princess but he didn’t really fit in with them. He didn’t really fit in with any of the potbelly pigs living at the farm at that time, and he certainly didn’t fit with the Big Pigs.
So Joaquin was a misfit and kind of an outsider. Until, that is, Hans arrived. Hans is also a Kune Kune and the two became a pair. The two love to graze together and snuggle at night, where now they are joined by the newest former-misfit, Wolfie. So all the misfits have found their fit.
Lilly
Lilly came to us at 2 1/2 months old, and is a Kunekune who was born with a deformed leg. Lilly was surrendered by her former caregiver after their vet had said nothing could be done for her. We will work with our vet team to determine the best treatment plan for Lilly. As she will require special care, we are hopeful Lilly will become the best friend of a certain other Kunekune with an elbow replacement.... more to come!
Maya
Maya and her brother Myles came to us tremendously abused, riddled with mange, underweight, and malnourished. Despite the horrible abuse she endured, Maya just wants love - in fact, she demands it!
Mikey
We got a call from Cornell asking us for help. A family had brought in a very young kune kune, who was attacked by the family dog and his skull was fractured. The piglet was only about four weeks old and was in very critical condition.
The people who brought him in didn’t want him after the attack and wouldn’t pay the cost for his treatment. So Cornell reached out to us to cover the cost of his treatment and take him in. We immediately said yes and adopted Mikey—named after the amazing animal rescuer and advocate, Mike Stura of Skylands Sanctuary.
Mikey had a CT scan which showed the attack from the dog had indeed fractured his skull and a small part of the skull was broken into Mikey’s brain. He had surgery which removed the bone fragment and surrounded dead brain tissue and blood.
Mikey was in very delicate condition—an infection or meningitis could have been fatal for him, so he stayed at Cornell for several weeks.
Mikey is now home and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome him! He will be on stall rest for at least two weeks and we will monitor his progress along with his team at Cornell. They gave him the chance to live; we are giving him the place to be loved, to grow up and thrive.
Moby
Moby’s rescue story is the same as Billie’s, but he was the pig with the “issues” that led the breeder to give both of them up.
Moby is a runt and has a head tilt. The vets at Cornell neutered him (and spayed Billie) and did lots of tests but Moby is healthy and nothing showed up on the tests as an explanation for his head tilt. It’s most likely a birth defect.
However, we at Arthur’s Acres know that Moby is not defective in any way whatsoever. He is loud, funny and adorable. If you’re standing, he will put his orange tufted head against your leg. If you are sitting on the ground, he will cuddle next to you. And either way, Moby will melt your heart.
Morty
The world was waiting for Morty and just didn’t know it. Why? Because Morty was languishing alone and unseen on the deck of a house in Parksville. It’s like Lady Gaga living unknown in a cabin near Fallsburg. What if Shakespeare had never been discovered? Or Dolly Parton, Ryan Reynolds, Prince??
The world would be a far poorer, sadder place.
But fortunately for all of us, a call came in to Arthur’s Acres about a nearby pig who needed his hooves trimmed. Sure no problem, Todd said and came over.
Little did he know that he had just stumbled on the biggest unknown megastar since Lana Turner was found working in a drugstore.
Todd met Mordechai, who at the time was overweight, blind, being fed dog food, locked on a second story deck and depressed. The owners knew somewhere deep in their souls that Mordechai was meant for greater things, so they surrendered him to Todd.
Mordechai arrived at Arthur’s Acres, became Morty, fell in love with a Kubota tractor and kiwis, and thus the Morty Monday legend was born.
What would the world be without the Vegan Marshmallow Tractor Kiwi Pink Prince Pig? Aren’t you glad we’ll never have to find out?
Myles
Myles came with his sister Maya, and was even smaller than her. Very underweight and malnourished, he is the thinker of the two, and is carefully watchful around new situations before jumping in wholeheartedly.
Penny Lane (Baby Love)
A well-intentioned couple bought Penny Lane from a breeder who said that she was a “teacup pig.” The breeder lied. How do we know that? Because “teacup pigs” DO NOT EXIST!
There is no such thing as a “teacup pig.” Tiny piglets sold as such will still continue to grow into normal-size potbelly pigs. Which is why so many young pigs end up at rescues when the “teacup” lie is revealed by normal growth.
This breeder was particularly vile in that she thought she could “create” a “teacup pig” by starving a piglet.
That can’t create a “teacup pig” BECAUSE THEY DON’T EXIST. However, starving a piglet creates a very sick pig with stunted growth both externally and with their internal organs and bones.
That is what the well-intentioned humans did to Penny Lane: they malnourished her for the entire 5 years they had her. They also kept her in a basement with no access to the outside.
When these people surrendered Penny Lane to us, they didn’t know they had done anything wrong. But Penny Lane was very sick. We got her to Cornell and developed a plan to start building her nutrition. Overfeeding a starved pig can really hurt them. So with the Cornell vets, we started a gradual regimen to help her regain as much health as she can.
Penny Lane has surprised us all with how much muscle she’s developed and how active and curious she is. She has become the little shadow for Christina as she works around the farm, and Christina has certainly never ever spoiled Penny Lane at all in the least, whatsoever. Really.
Penelope
Penelope was rescued with Steven from humans who were keeping them in a shed and feeding them dog food.
When she arrived at the farm, Penelope was not as overweight as Steven and her hooves were in much better shape, but her skin was horrible and she was very shy. Todd treated her with skin conditioner and also increased the water in her food.
With proper nutrition, Penelope’s skin is now normal and she’s lost the extra weight she had. Penelope loves laying in the sun and comes up to people for love and belly rubs.
She’s still very bonded with Steven despite the fact that he will try to eat her food if he finishes his first. After living in the Love Shack for a long time, they both decided that they wanted to move to the pot barn. They selected their stall and moved in and that was that—they are officially part of the pot herd.
Princess
Princess lived the first 14 years of her life at a horrific backyard breeding operation. The breeder kept her in a dark stall and bred her over and over, taking her babies and selling them for profit or slaughter.
The toll of all those years of abuse, torture and loneliness was clear in Princess’ whole body. When she arrived at Arthur’s Acres, she was completely shut down. She was terrified of people and shrank in fear from all humans. Todd spent countless hours with her, talking gently, giving her space and time to adapt. He brought her treats and delicious fruits and veggies she’d never had before.
It took some time, but Princess soon became the real Princess that she had always been, even back when she was held prisoner at the breeder.
Now Princess rules the farm. She lives in the house in the winter in her own snoozer bed, but also has a summer house and a She Shed designed by a famous artist and equipped with a chandelier.
We were slightly worried that Princess was going to claim the new Big Pig barn as her own and then we’d have to build another one (what Princess wants is the Law of the Land). But so far, she is happy with her three current houses and we’ll see if Herself demands a fourth in the future.
Petey
We heard about a Kune Kune pig who was living all alone after his companions had, over time, passed away. Petey was lonely and little did we know, very overweight.
Todd went to visit him and seeing the limited space Petey had for a yard and how seriously obese he was, agreed to adopt him.
Petey is now also on a nutritional regimen to lose weight gradually and healthfully and he’s won everyone’s hearts with his talking and oddly enough, purring.
We hadn’t met a pig who purrs ever before and didn’t know what we were missing! Petey loves people and bedtime stories and people who read bedtime stories just for him. He’s not lonely anymore and eventually he won’t be overweight anymore either.
Paulie Walnuts
Paulie Walnuts is morbidly obese, with long cracked hoofs from malnourishment. Paulie is a 4 year old potbelly who was living in a horse trailer after his former owner was evicted from his property and now wanted him gone even if he was sent to the butcher. We could not let that happen.
He saw the vet 4 years ago and has never had a hoof trim. His weight could possibly be one of the worst cases of overfeeding we have ever seen, including Sullivan and Louie. He is struggling to walk and seems to be in pain every step he takes.
Rosie
Rosie was surrendered by the only family she knew, no longer wanted when they moved. She is living proof that there is no such thing as a tea-cup pig because she wasn't the 30 pound pig that was promised.
Rosie is morbidly obese, having been fed 5 times the amount of food needed. Her hooves had never been trimmed, she hasn't received regular vet care, and wasn't spayed. We will help her heal with patience, love, and respect - and proper care.
Sullivan (Sully)
Sully’s primary caregiver suffers from mental illness that became acute enough for him to have to go to the hospital.
Animal control intended to come in and euthanize Sullivan because he was hugely obese at just five years old.
We stepped in and took Sullivan from animal control. His hooves were incredibly overgrown—worse than anything we’d seen. And Sullivan weighed nearly 500 lbs. We also learned that he has been kept in a damp garage with a cement floor and no access to the outside.
Sullivan is now on a slow, steady diet to lose weight and Todd has managed to trim his hooves to normal length. Sleeping on the cement in his previous life must have been painful for Sully considering how overweight he was. When Todd brought in a futon for Sully to sleep on, we weren’t sure he’d even be able to step up to it. But Sullivan laid his head on the futon and it was immediate and eternal love. He got up and settled in with the biggest smile on his face.
Though Sully probably has arthritis from his weight, he is now moving more and has started going outside by himself, discovering the joys of mud and grass. As he continues to lose weight, we will monitor him for arthritis and start him on therapies to help.
Timmy
An older pig, Timmy was living in horrific conditions with very little relief from the elements. He had no straw or any bedding what so ever.
Timmy had been labeled as angry and aggressive so they put him in a small enclosure by himself. His world was very small.
He has teeth and digestive issues and we can help by giving him that soft landing and medical care he deserves.
Wilbur
Wilbur is the very first potbelly resident of Arthur’s Acres. Someone in New York City had abandoned him at a shelter, most likely after buying him as a “teacup” pig. “Teacup” pigs are a myth used by breeders to sell pigs and make money. When these babies begin to grow into normal potbelly pigs (because “teacups” are a MYTH), the confused and disappointed owners dump them at shelters.
Like Wilbur. Who was in terrible condition: skinny, malnourished and with a horrible skin disease. Wilbur moved into the house, healed, and became a very opinionated and expressive person.
In fact, he became the King of the Hissy Fit. Wilbur’s hissy fits are operatic in nature. He often opens with a recitative before launching into the full aria.
Usually Wilbur’s arias are based on complaints about rain beginning to fall, having to walk back up to the house after dinner instead of being Ubered, air temperature too cold or too hot or just a general feeling of ennui.
Many of Wilbur’s hissy fits have been recorded for posterity and fans are hoping a new album will drop soon.
Willow
Last year we were contacted to take Willow a 3 year disabled Kunekune that was still being used for breeding even though she could not walk . Her new owner had a change of heart and decided not to breed her again.
At the time we could not take her but I contacted our friend Emily at Where pigs fly animal sanctuary, a private rescue to discuss Willow. The year before Emily came to vist because she wanted to start a rescue and needed some advice. We have helped her every step of the way and she was doing amazing work and thought Willow would be in amazing hands in her care .
She said yes but Willow was struggling and her local vet was not equipped to handle a situation like Willows. We set up an evaluation at Cornell and they were amazing. She needed 3 surgeries her eye , patella and a full elbow replacement. They actually flew a surgeon in from CA and with a team of 20 replaced Willows whole elbow, the first surgery of its kind in a pig. She took 4 months to recover at Cornell and was doing amazing.
Before Emily committed to the surgery we had a lot of discussions about after care . After she came home she would need to go to Cornell once every 6 weeks for exams and Emily was 5 and 1/2 hours from Cornell. We offered to do all of Willows after care at Arthur’s Acres because we just did it for Ella Bean and Cornell is only 2 hours and 15 min from us and let’s face it , we are there all the time.
Well she is doing amazing and after more long discussions we decided Willow should stay. We could not be happier for Willow and Emily for her selfless act in letting her baby move out.
Wolfie
Wolfie’s human mom got seriously ill and soon so did Wolfie. His mom reached out to us for help and we got Wolfie to Cornell.
As it turned out, Wolfie wasn’t seriously ill but he was very overweight, so we brought him back to the farm to start his new life and weight loss program.
While Wolfie’s previous mom assured us that he had been loved and cared for, Wolfie’s behavior clearly showed that he’d had interactions with humans that left him with deep emotional scars.
Todd worked with Wolfie for hours every day to get Wolfie to trust him. It took months for Wolfie to be able to join the potbelly herd and to relax around the humans wanting to love him.
The first time Wolfie laid down by Todd for a belly rub, we all shed some tears. And we shed a few when Wolfie started cuddling with Hans and Joaquin at night. At last Wolfie has found his little pig family and his people.
Charlie's Coop
Carmela
Carmela was found running loose in Liberty, NY and a good Samaritan spotted her and called Todd. The call came in the middle of a Board meeting, but since urgent rescues can't wait, Todd left with Board member Kathy to get Carmela and bring her to her new forever home. She is integrated into the flock and loves her new family!
Daphne
We were contacted about an older gentleman who was sick and going into long term care. He loves his chickens and did not want harm to come to them and his family was unable to care for them. We are very excited to be able to help them out.
You can see Daphne (hen on the right) staying close to her rescue mate, Jean 2 (golden hen in front).
Greta
Greta was rescued with Daphne and Jean from a gentleman who was going into long-term care. Greta is our Party Chicken, who never wants to come into the coop at night (maybe she’s following Hans2’ example). When it’s time to lock the birds in for the night, she’s always the last one in.
Heidi
Heidi was rescued with Jenny B and is also about 7 years old. They were kept in a pen their whole previous life and their bond from that time is still evident now. Heidi is a very shy bird around humans and birds too, but Jenny B is her long-term friend. And here, every individual gets to be exactly who they are.
Holdina
Holdina was rescued with Hunny Bunny from live markets. Their rescuer then brought them to us. Both are a breed that needs to have a strict diet, so she lives in the house too. Holdina is a bold girl and very outgoing. She follows Todd around the house, often walking up the stairs on her own and hanging out in the bedrooms. Sometimes, she hops onto the couch and watches TV. She’s the messiest water drinker ever and likes splashing water everywhere, but she’s still a fun housemate.
Jean 2
Jean2 was rescued with Daphne and Greta from an older gentleman who was sick and going into long term care. Like her namesake, Jean is very friendly but shy and likes to keep to herself. She is not too interested in being anywhere near humans unless there are treats involved and even then she can be pretty hesitant. Jean is normally the last one to come running in for breakfast and is more of a fan of eating alone and at her own pace. An attitude the Jean the volunteer fully supports.
Jenny B
Both Jenny B and Heidi were kept inside a closed pen. When the people discovered that they weren’t zoned to keep chickens, they released both to us. Jenny B is around 7 years old and has remained close friends with Heidi. Jenny B is a shy girl except when it’s duck-feeding time. Then she’s usually one of the first chickens to come running out of the coop in the morning, heading straight to steal the ducks food.
Jo Jo
A woman saw Jojo at a local farm supply store that was selling chicks. The woman noticed Jojo’s leg was twisted and she had a hard time walking. The woman convinced the store to surrender the chick. We heard about the bird through our board member Kathy Keefe and believed we could help. Jojo had a revolutionary surgery that hasn’t been performed much on chickens. The vet reset Jojo’s leg and then Dawnell did dedicated physical therapy many times a day, keeping Jojo with her and her husband Matthew. After weeks of PT, Jojo got stronger and learned to walk. She really is another Arthur’s Acres miracle. She now walks normally and is a sweetheart. Jojo is always curious and frequently can be found jumping in the muck buckets when we are trying to clean the coop. She is also quite the little stalker and likes to run up to the house and peak in the windows. Sometimes she even knocks on the door. If you open the door she’ll march in, check everything out and then stand at the door and yell till you let her out again. Jojo has no idea of personal space and if she finds you eating, she will come over and take your food right out of your hands.
Lucy
A local police officer in Liberty found Lucy and Melissa running loose at a gas station. They contacted Todd and Arthur’s Acres took both birds. Both were scared and covered in mites. Lucy has an infection in her foot from a fracture that was never treated. And she was also debeaked. Commercial egg producing farms cut off the end of the bird’s beaks to keep them from pecking each other due to the horrific stress these birds endure with overcrowding and living their lives in cages. Debeaked hens often have trouble eating so we supplement her diet with softer foods which are easier for her to eat. Lucy is super outgoing and has no problem walking right up to you—but it’s all on her terms. She loves to follow whoever is cleaning the coop. Very quickly, she learned that the med room is the snack room. All the birds now are kept inside to prevent contact with avian flu. But when she was out she would wait at the med room door and then run in like she owned the place. We expect she will do that when the avian flu scare is over and the flock can again roam the farm.
Margery
Margery and Julia were rescued in Warwick, NY. They were tied to each other by the leg and then tied to a tree. Dedicated Arthur’s Acres volunteers, Hans and Karen, heard about the story and got both birds to the farm. Margery has the most beautiful black eyes. Normally (when there isn’t an avian flu outbreak) Margery runs all around the property—especially spending time with the big pigs. Margery has the loudest voice of all the hens and is definitely one of the boss girls of the flock. When she’s not exploring the farm, Margery likes hanging out with her friend, Lois.
Melissa
A local police officer spotted Melissa and Lucy running around a gas station in Liberty and contacted Todd. The two birds were scared and covered in mites, but healthy after some treatments. Melissa is shy and often keeps to herself though she loves her rescue friend Lucy.
Shirley
We had only planned to rescue Laverne from the farm supply store, but Shirley became so distressed when her friend was removed, that we negotiated her release, too. Shirley immediately calmed down when reunited with her friend. As Shirley grew older, she moved in with the main flock after she indicated that she needed more freedom than living with Laverne's disabilities would provide. We ultimately made the decision that in Laverne's best interest, she would go to a private rescue with particular expertise in helping her specific needs. All are now living their best lives!
Stevie
Stevie arrived along with five other hens who were surrendered from Craigslist. They all had mites. Stevie is one of the smallest chickens here--but also one of the toughest. In March of this year, she was diagnosed with a mass in her abdomen. Now she gets sub-cutaneous fluids every day plus meloxicam when needed. On a normal day, Stevie is usually hanging with the big pigs are because she knows that's where all the good treats are. She has run with Todd and the big pigs all the way out into the field to get treats. Stevie’s favorite snacks are sunflower seeds and blueberries. Her best friends are Foxy Roxy and Julia.
Tony
Tony, along with his friend Jr. (who now lives at another sanctuary), were found running loose. They ended up at animal control for several weeks before Todd received a call about them. Tony is fully integrated with the flock and is a fierce protector of his hens!
Dogs, Cats & One Very Special Bullfrog
Farm Dog Lyle
Lyle was destined for euthanasia after being labelled "aggressive" at a high kill shelter.
When he was rescued, it was soon very clear that he simply needed a safe loving home.
He is now the gate keeper of Arthur's Acres, watching over all of the residents. He is right by our side at the crack of dawn to feed the animals and won't rest until everyone is safely tucked away for the night.
When he does relax you'll find him sleeping softly in someones arms, feeling safe, loved and cared for.
Candy
Candy is 10 years old and came to us after her caregiver passed away. No one checked on her for a few weeks and when relatives came, they felt she smelled and dumped her.
When we got her we found out she had cancer but after a life saving surgery she is much better.
Ashley
Ashley, along with her siblings and Momma, were abandoned on a foreclosed property. All kittens were just a few days old when we rescued them.
The family now has their own very own kitty heaven at Arthur's Acres where they get to play and explore all day.
Ashley is a big-time cuddler, and loves to sit on the shoulders of volunteers and staff. +-You'll always find Ashley playing with her siblings, chasing her Momma's tail or trying to scare one of her sisters from underneath the couch.
Toni
Toni, along with her siblings and Momma, were abandoned on a foreclosed property. All kittens were just a few days old when we rescued them.
The family now has their very own kitty heaven at Arthur's Acres where they get to play and explore all day.
Toni loves to hang out with the volunteers who ship the Arthur's Acres orders. She can be found demanding pats, and is forever on the lookout for more food!
Hobbes
Found dumped on the highway with Calvin, we think they are a father and son duo.
They came to us very skinny and covered in scrapes, cuts, and fleas. They are safe now and set up to live a very happy, healthy life!
Gemma
Part of a litter of three, Gemma was found when a momma cat wandered into someone's house to have her babies. The momma cat never came back, so we were brought in to help. Gemma and her brothers Opie and Jax now get to live with us.
Jax
Part of a litter of three, Jax was found when a momma cat wandered into someone's house to have her babies. The momma cat never came back, so we were brought in to help. Jax and his brother Opie and sister Gemma now get to live with us.
Opie
Part of a litter of three, Opie was found when a momma cat wandered into someone's house to have her babies. The momma cat never came back, so we were brought in to help. Jax and his brother Jax and sister Gemma now get to live with us.
Jeremiah the Bullfrog
While technically not rescued animals, Jeremiah and his Bullfrog Friends live in the pond (and other other marshy areas) at Arthur's Acres. Sponsoring Jeremiah will help us maintain the ponds and wallows in honor of all of the frogs living at the sanctuary.
In Memory of
Katniss
Katniss was (and always will be remembered as) the Queen of the Big Pigs.
She was rescued after someone locked her, Prim and Rue in a shed and left them to die. Fortunately, all three ended up at the farm.
Early on, Katniss developed issues with walking and needed many months of intense care before she could walk again.
But by that time, King Karl had been rescued and when the two met, they fell in love and became the royal couple of the herd. The other pigs would check in with both of them almost like parents and Katniss and Karl could usually be found together in the barn or in the field, enjoying their kingdom.
King Karl
Karl’s previous life was definitely not fit for a king. He had been kept in a stall and used for breeding for 10 years--that’s a long 10 years without his hooves on the earth or sun on his back, without grass or mud.
Usually “breeding” pigs are sent to slaughter after they’re no longer deemed “useful”, but Karl was lucky. Farm Sanctuary posted a story about Karl needing a home and Arthur’s Acres responded.
Karl came to the farm, officially became the King he was always meant to be, and fell instantly in love with the regal and beautiful Katniss.
Louie
Louie's previous owners kept him illegally inside their home for 2 1/2 years. He was never allowed outside the dining room.
He was morbidly obese due to them (most likely) feeding him improper food and not allowing him the chance to exercise outside.
The owners called in our vet to trim Louie’s hooves. When the vet saw Louie and what serious condition he was in, he phoned us immediately. We agreed to step in and rescue Louie, knowing that his healing journey was going to be long and difficult.
We worked with the vets at Cornell to give Louie a chance and to give him the best life possible. Unfortunately, Louie's quality of life due to his poor living conditions from the previous owners ultimately led to his passing on July 20th 2021.
If you would like to contribute to Louie's memory through a donation, please follow the link above.
In Memory of Steven
Chicagoland Pig Rescue contacted us about a very bad abuse case with two obese pigs being kept in a shed and fed dog food (which is harmful to pigs—never feed dog food to pigs!).
We agreed to take both pigs and Todd along with TD got them out of the shed, into carriers and back to Arthur’s Acres. The pigs were extremely shy, overweight, dehydrated, with skin conditions and Steven’s hooves were in horrible condition: overgrown and with hoof rot.
Todd worked on Steven’s hooves to trim and rebalance them and treat the rot. Proper nutrition with lots of hydration got both pigs on the right track. Over time, they lost weight and learned to trust people.
Steven was known as The Potfather, as he was kind of the Number One Guy of the potbelly herd. He was handsome in kind of an old-school movie star way, like George Clooney. And despite being a Potfather Movie Star, he still loved belly rubs.
Sadly, Steven passed away due to abuse he endured at his prior residence.
Momma
Momma along with her 5 kittens were abandoned on a foreclosed property.
Once a feral cat, she is now a loving warm affectionate beauty who loves to snuggle on your lap.
She is a wonderful mom to her babies, becoming ever more playful with them and humans as the weeks pass.
Alexander
This amazing big boy was left in a box in the parking lot of another rescue. They weren’t able to keep him and we had just lost our beloved rooster Charlie so we adopted Alex. He is pretty shy with humans unless you have a treat and then he will walk right up and take it from your hand. He fell in love with Lucy as soon as he arrived and while he loves all the hens, he is never far from Lucy.
Charlie
Charlie is by far the bravest rooster you'll ever meet.
Charlie was abandoned on the property for months before we moved in. We tried numerous occasions to catch him with no luck. Finally, within days of us moving in, we caught Charlie.
He was absolutely terrified for weeks, with good reason to. We knew Charlie needed immediate love and no better than a beautiful flock of rescued hens to do just that!
Instantly Charlie was a changed rooster. He stands proud with his ladies and is no longer fearful of humans.
We have a special place in our hearts for Charlie, the bravest rooster of them all.
Dobbie
We were contacted about an older gentleman who was sick and going into long term care. He loved his chickens—Greta, Daphne and Jean-- and wanted them to have a safe forever home. Dobbie is a big beautiful girl. We sometimes call her a Tridactyl lol. She lets us know when she is not in the mood to deal with humans by giving a few love bites. Dobbie was diagnosed with a large mass in her abdomen, but with some extra TLC, did well for quite some time. Dobbie loves mash and when she eats, flicks it around everywhere.
Hunny Bunny
A woman rescued Hunny Bunny and Holdina from live kill markets and was keeping them in her apartment. She looked for a permanent home and we were able to take both birds. Both now live in the house. Due to her breed, Hunny Bunny has to be kept on a strict diet. She also suffers from chronic kidney disease but we give her subcutaneous fluids every other day along with her vet-prescribed medicine. Though Hunny Bunny lives with two humans, two pigs, two dogs and three cats, she holds her own with all of them. Wilbur is her favorite pig but she also loves to cuddle in people’s laps and be petted under her wings. Every night, Hunny Bunny walks to her bed on her own without any prompting. She also is somewhat addicted to social media and will commandeer your phone if you let her.
Julia
Someone had tied Julia to another hen, Margery and then tied both to a tree. Animal control found them and through dedicated Arthur’s Acres volunteers Hans and Karen, the birds ended up with us. Julia is the friendliest, most outgoing chicken here. She absolutely loves people, loves to be held and cuddled. She is sweet with her bird family too, usually preening another bird. Her favorite foods are quinoa and lettuce. Almost every night, Julia sleeps next to her friends Foxy Roxy and Stevie.
Foxy Roxy
Foxy Roxy was rescued from an abuse and neglect case. She is a tall and beautiful bird. Last November, she was diagnosed with cancer, but that has not slowed her down in the least. She loves to explore and to hang out with her best friends Julia and Stevie Nicks. The three are quite the tight knit group.