Muddy Creek Township animal sanctuary has piglets to adopt
MUDDY CREEK TWP — A Butler County farm animal rescue nonprofit has given a home to a handful of pigs taken from a Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, animal sanctuary in early June.
The owner, Sonia Sacco, is now socializing seven piglets at Sonia’s Sanctuary to prepare them for adoption. They just need a spay before being taken in by other animal-lovers, which could happen a few months from now for some of the younger ones.
Sacco said the piglets arrived scared and shy on Saturday, June 20, but by Monday, June 22, they were running to her for scratches and food.
According to Sacco, pigs are social by nature and need a good bit of stimulation for their health and well-being.
“People see them as house animals and think that they need the same level of cats or dogs, but they do need a lot more because they are so intelligent,” Sacco said. “Obviously, no one is going to adopt a pig that they can’t interact with. So training them that people are a good source of food and scratches is the best way to win them over.”
Rostraver Township police charged Wendi Sue Kraemer, 59, of Rostraver Township, with a public nuisance violation on May 17. Sacco explained police were alerted to Kraemer’s own animal sanctuary, where the pigs she took in had reproduced and led to an overcrowding situation. Sacco said pig pregnancies generally last “three months, three weeks, three days,” so the number of swine in a home can multiply quickly.
Most of the 80-some pigs taken from Kraemer’s place went to a Pittsburgh-area sanctuary — Pigsburgh Squealers in Tarentum — but Sacco said some were split up to avoid one sanctuary getting too crowded. Sacco already had three pigs on the property, not to mention several chickens, goats, horses and even a peacock, so she was equipped to handle a few additional piglets.
Sacco said she is not sure what breed the pigs are. Most pigs grow until they are around 5 years old, some up to 700 pounds, Sacco said, but the rescued ones appear to be pot-bellied mixes, which typically grow to be 100 to 200 pounds. The ones in Sonia’s Sanctuary’s care are all female.
Sonia’s Sanctuary has taken in animals that have been neglected, as well as animals that have medical needs or injuries.
The piglets in Sacco’s care are all healthy, they just need some socialization so they can be ready to be taken to a forever home. And Sacco said hobby farming is getting more and more popular, with people looking for pets other than dogs or cats to bring into their homes.
Sacco said anyone looking to adopt one of the pigs will have to go through a background check, because they will only go home with people who are able to take care of them as pets. She also said piglets are preferred to be adopted out in pairs, but she will work with people who are interested to get them into the best homes possible.
Sacco said the pigs’ personalities are already showing, and she is happy to be involved in the effort of rehoming the swine.
“We’re grateful to be able to help by giving a smaller group of pigs the individualized care and attention they need to be successful,” Sacco said. “Once they’re big enough to be spayed, they’ll be available. Usually we test them around other animals too, just to make sure they’re safe.”
For more information on Sacco’s Sanctuary, including information on adopting the piglets, visit the nonprofit’s website at soniassanctuary.org.
Another Butler County organization is joining in on helping the pigs rescued from Rostraver Township — the Butler Birder’s Club.
Jen Balsiger, the owner of the Birdwatchers Store in Slippery Rock Township, is organizing a birdwatching tour of the Pigsburgh Squealers’ property, which she said is ripe for birding. Balsiger, who also founded the Butler Birder’s Club, said she has volunteered at Pigsburgh Squealers and now considers its owners, Blue and Zach Martin, friends.
Pigsburgh Squealers has a number of donation pages to help the organization care for the 66 pigs that came into its care after the Rostraver Township “Operation Squeal City.”
The “Pastures and Perches” fundraising hike will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 27, at Pigsburgh Squealers, 130 Lampus Lane in Tarentum, and money raised from the walk will benefit the nonprofit.
“We’ll get to meet some of the pigs and finish the walk through their property and meet some birds,” Balsiger said. “They have various levels of fencing with 30 acres on the property … They have a pond on one end of their property.”
Balsiger also said the pigs in residence at Pigsburgh Squealers are friendly, so bird watchers will also get to interact with them on their walk through the property.
“If you start rubbing their bellies they’ll lay over on their side and get belly rubs,” Balsiger said. “They all have different personalities, for sure.”
For more information on Pastures and Perches, visit its Facebook event page or the Butler Birder’s Club website, butlerbirders.club.
