The History of Pigs Peace Sanctuary 1994 - 2004
1994 Wilbur the pig is the first rescue. The Sanctuary starts with many calls. Before the year is over we welcome dozens of pigs and our expertise grows. Fences built, land cleared and pastures planted. 1995 The herd grows and so does our need for more fencing and more barns. We are learning the hard way with limited funds. Volunteer program starts and visitors arrive. Annie the pony rescued from certain death. She comes with a broken leg, eye poked out and ripped ear. She receives immediate veterinary care and the barn built for her later becomes our quarantine barn. 1996 Large barn built. Fencing expanded. Homer the pig joined the herd after living a solitary life in an apartment complex in the city of Chicago. Property cleared, pasture planted. Calls for animals needing our help seem endless. First TV filming of the Sanctuary. 1997 Elvis, the pig, and Jake, the dog, found in an abandoned house. We welcome them to the growing family of animals Loft built in the barn. Originally built for hay storage and later becomes a safe home for many feral cats. First school group visits and many more scheduled 1998 First Pig's Peace Sanctuary newsletter… in spite of Judy's limited computer skills! Breeder shuts down and 10 pigs are abandoned. They are starving, living in a filthy shed surrounded by six inches of mud and manure. Ten new pigs meant a huge vet bill, new fencing, and shelter. Peter the Pomeranian found running down the highway. Our reputation as a premier sanctuary spreads. Calls come in from across the country. 1999 A Busy Year! 201 chickens rescued from egg factory farm where they lived a life in wire cages crowded with 4-6 chickens. They were starving and ate 50 pounds of chicken food the first day! Chicken barn built. School groups continue to visit creating a desperate need for an education center. Singer Dana Lyons (Cows With Guns) performs in concert. Primate Freedom Tour visits the Sanctuary as their first stop on a national tour. We rescue Gingersnap the pig after she was stuffed in a gunny sack and taken to a tavern for 2 days before being thrown into the bushes behind the tavern. We met Alyssa the pig screaming at the veterinary office, unable to walk, covered with burns. We take her home to the Sanctuary for the long ordeal of healing. Breeder shut down. Twelve pigs rescued. They are walking skeletons. Oscar the young pig represents the Sanctuary at the Taste of Health at the Seattle Center. 2000 A difficult year - Pneumonia outbreak lasted seven months, intense medical care required. It was a horrendous ordeal. Over 300 chickens rescued from Amberson Egg Farm. A chicken hell! Merlin the pig escaped from backyard BBQ in Seattle and was found running the streets in desperation for safety. Education center built! Blondie the Pig, left behind a dumpster in a box, joined the Sanctuary herd. 2001 A busy, important year. Howard Lyman, the author of Mad Cowboy, visits, Judy toured a pig factory farm and liberated five pigs. We search the mountains for days for Shirley the pig who was living in the Cascade foothills. We got three pigs from a medical research laboratory in California. We got a much needed new van. Breeder shut down. Word the dog welcomed to freedom at the Sanctuary after being incarceration for 8 years at Seattle Animal Control. Judy spoke to three hundred people at the Vegan Fest in Bellingham. 2002 Lots of snow in the beginning of the year. Tom the Turkey rescued and comes to the sanctuary. Baby geese with us for spring Bubba the pig rescued from serious neglect including fungal infection that deformed his feet. New farm found! New roof for the barn. Fences up, barns built, loft for cats built. We moved to the new farm! A huge undertaking but a dream come true!! Tom the Turkey is the Thanksgiving guest of honor at Cafe Ambrosia, a vegan restaurant in Seattle. 2003 Mitzi, a pig here from medical research, died. Breeder shut down. The pigs came here deformed from inbreeding Ginger the horse is saved from the slaughter pens and welcomed to live her senior years with us. Piglets! Our farm house was full all winter with piglets to socialize. Judy lectures in San Francisco at compassion in Education Conference on pig culture. Turkeys arrived. Saved from being the main course at Thanksgiving Dinner 2004 Very difficult year of profound grief with the passing of 14 animal friends including Jake and Word, two dogs who had different forms of cancer, Tom the Turkey and Libby the farm pig and Brian the dog, both unexpected deaths. Although we believe that the animals will all die before us, it is still very, very difficult to say goodbye. Diamond the pig rescued from living her life trapped in an upstairs bedroom for 13 years. Sanctuary dinner hosted by Carol and Francis Janes. New septic system required a remodel of the Education Center, which now includes new bathroom and a rustic bedroom for volunteers to sleep over. This has been a very difficult year financially. There have been several times when we did not have enough money to buy pig food. We desperately need financial help. |