Pig Rescued Days Before His Slaughter Date is Living the High Life at a Refuge

Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/firecracker-the-pig/

Pigs raised for meat often face poor conditions, including crate confinement for pregnant sows. Not long after birth, piglets are also taken away from their mothers. Those slated for slaughter typically only live for six months. One lucky pig escaped this fate and is now living his natural life out at a sanctuary.

Firecracker the pig was rescued by Farm Animal Refuge days before he was set to be slaughtered, at six-months-old and about 180 pounds.

Firecracker6 1 - Pig Rescued Days Before His Slaughter Date is Living the High Life at a Refuge — PHOTO: THE HUMANE LEAGUE / FARM ANIMAL REFUGE

Refuge co-founder Matt Lieurance says, “He was kept in an environment that was completely too small for him. It was very unsanitary, and the food that they were eating was actually the compost and the trash from the local cafeteria. So they were eating not only other pork products, but it was expired, slimy, moldy, just not very good stuff.”

Now, Firecracker’s diet is a lot better, including an annual treat to celebrate his life on what would have been his slaughter date. Each December 1st, Firecracker gets to eat blueberry pancakes, one of his favorite foods.

Firecracker4 1 - Pig Rescued Days Before His Slaughter Date is Living the High Life at a Refuge — PHOTO: THE HUMANE LEAGUE / FARM ANIMAL REFUGE

He is also no longer confined or in unsanitary conditions. He gets to run around the refuge’s larger space, often making that run to greet his favorite people. When he wants to relax, he can do so in a safe, peaceful place with his best friends Diamond and Harmony. He has a mud pit to cool down on hot days, too.

He’s also known to make pig vocalizations to those around him and to greet his caregivers by nuzzling them with his snout, which is a normal pig greeting.

Firecracker3 1 - Pig Rescued Days Before His Slaughter Date is Living the High Life at a Refuge — PHOTO: THE HUMANE LEAGUE / FARM ANIMAL REFUGE

The refuge hopes meeting Firecracker will have an impact on visitors and help them understand a bit more about what pigs raised for meat can endure. In California, where Farm Animal Refuge is located, there have been some steps to improve their lives. Proposition 12, which was set to go into effect in January 2022, bans the sale of pork from breeding pigs that are confined to areas below minimum space requirements, 24 square feet of usable floorspace per pig. California voters passed the measure with 63% of the vote in 2018.

However, the bill’s implementation is currently delayed following a ruling by a Superior Court Judge. The law has been challenged by pork producers. Supporters of the measure include animal welfare groups. Among them is The Humane Society of the United States, which authored the bill.

Efforts like this are a start, but Firecracker’s caregivers hope his story will impact pigs’ wellbeing even further.

Lieurance says, “Not only is Firecracker one of the biggest personalities here, he’s one of the biggest ‘wow’ factors when you meet him in real life. We call and wake him up from his nap, and he comes charging over to the fence to say hi. It is incredibly powerful for people to meet him in real life. They look into his eyes, they see that soul that’s in there, they see that love and the joy that he has, and it really helps people make that connection and hopefully make better dietary choices when they leave here.”