Welcome to Goodheart Farm Animal Sanctuary, where we celebrate the joy and charm of pigs!
Intelligent, social, and full of personality, pigs are some of the friendliest farm animals you’ll ever meet. Whether you’re considering a pig as a pet or curious about our pig sanctuary, you’ll find plenty of delightful and quirky details about our lovable residents.
We’re here to bust the myth of the mini pig and share why adopting a pig can be more ethical and rewarding experience. Dive in to learn more about both wild and domestic pigs, and get to know the colourful characters who make our sanctuary their home!
Join our Animal Care Assistants over in our Pig Woodland to learn all about the daily checks our team carry out in order to keep our rescued pigs happy and healthy.
During the hotter months, our pigs like to indulge in a spot of mud wallowing. They’re well practised, but a little helping hand from the hose pipe is always appreciated!
Rooting is a natural behaviour where a pig uses their snout to nudge or push into something repeatedly. Pigs root in different ways for a variety of reasons such as to search for food, communicate, cool off and sometimes simply for comfort.
With few functioning sweat glands, pigs have to look for other ways to regulate their body temperature. In summer, a hot pig may dig a wallow where they will coat their skin with mud to cool down. The mud also acts as a natural sun cream to protect their skin from burning!
This instinctive behaviour is not just reserved for birds – pigs build nests too! Both young and fully grown pigs will gather straw and other materials such as leaves and take them to a safe space to build a warm and cosy nest to sleep in.
Recent studies have shown that pigs can produce around 25 distinct vocalisations, from grunts and squeals right through to barks! The noises may vary depending on a pig’s personality and the environment they are kept in, with a more enriching environment likely to lead to more vocal communications.
The average lifespan of a pig is around 15 years, however, if well cared for, pigs can live up to 20 years! The Guinness World Record for “oldest pig” belongs to a fellow named Oscar, who was 21 years and 13 days old when he died in 2010.
Sadly, within the industry, mothering sows rarely live beyond 3 years’ of age. Pigs reared for meat are usually slaughtered at just 6 months.
Your donations go a long way in helping us to give our rescued pigs the best life possible, from providing them with high-quality food, routine care, and veterinary attention right through to supporting their mental and emotional wellbeing.
Our Pig Woodland was completed in 2018 and was the first large-scale project we undertook here at the sanctuary. It comprises a large area of woodland near our paddocks which is divided into 7 individual areas by secure fencing, but with ample space for our residents to enjoy.
The Pig Barn is located next to our Pig Woodland, in a tranquil part of our sanctuary, a short walk from our main yard. Filled with cosy straw, the barn is a place for our rescued pigs to relax with their friends and practise natural behaviours such as rooting and nest-building.
Our pigs have come from a variety of backgrounds, from RSPCA neglect cases to former pets whose owners could no longer take care of them. Meet some of our quirky characters below.
Betty the piglet has a truly incredible rescue story. She narrowly escaped death after a group of hunters shot her mother and siblings, believing them to be wild boar.
Thankfully, Betty was coaxed to safety by a kind member of the public who set about finding the piglet a safe home. She arrived at our sanctuary in January and settled well into the Goodheart family! Read the full story here.
Ellie came to Goodheart in 2019 when she grew much bigger than her humans expected. They thought she was would stay “micro” forever, but that’s something of a myth in the animal world! We think she’s still just as cute, however, and now she gets to spend her days living in the beautiful Pig Woodland here at the sanctuary with best pals Jasper and Kermit.
Kermit is instantly recognisable by his fluffy ears and the fact that his tongue is permanently sticking out!
When not grunting a friendly hello to visitors, Kermit can be found hanging out with his paddock-mates Ellie and Jasper or fast asleep – and snoring loudly – in his cosy pig arc.
Goodheart Farm Animal Sanctuary, The Nickless, Milson, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY14 0BE
© Goodheart Animal Sanctuaries. All Rights Reserved.
Reg Charity No. 1162923
