Meet Ollie!
Ollie is a very special pig, as he owns the title of GMS' first rescue pig!
Ollie joined GMS in April 2020, when he was stolen from his family by animal control in Washington D.C. Ollie's first family did not know they could not have a pig where they lived, and they loved and cared for Ollie for two years before animal control took him. At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic we were notified about Ollie being in a D.C. dog and cat shelter, and we knew we had to get him out of there ASAP. Ollie's family loved him so much that even after the shelter wouldn't tell them where he went, they searched high and low to find him--- and they did! We originally made arrangements for Ollie to return back to his family once they found a home in an area that was zoned for him, but ultimately by early December his family decided Ollie would be happier here with pig friends. And next came Joabe....Be sure to read his story next!
​
Personality traits: soulful, headstrong, independent, talkative, no-nonsense, quirky
​
Favorite snacks: carrots, kiwi, watermelon
Sponsor Ollie!
Meet Joabe!
Joabe was the second pig we rescued and Ollie's very first pig partner!
Joabe came to us in December of 2020. He had originally been purchased by a guy who thought his girlfriend would want a lifetime committment of a potbelly big for her birthday. As cute as Joabe is, she had no desire to have a pig and quickly gave him away. He ended on Facebook Marketplace numerous times and was rehomed at least 5 times in his short 4 months of life. Can you imagine how scary this was for a baby? Luckily the right people saw him listed again on Marketplace and stepped in to rescue him and find him placement. This was during the same week when we knew Ollie would be a permanent GMS resident--- and the rest is history!
​
Personality traits: calm, quiet, reserved, tries to bully Gwen (she's his best friend and the key word is "tries", sweet, and gentle
​
Favorite snacks: kiwi, watermelon, icepops
​
Sponsor Joabe!
Meet Gwen
On May 22, 2021 we rescued Gwen at 4 months old. She was sold to a family from a pet store in a city and was living in a crate in an apartment. The family who purchased her was in no position to have a pig and the children were not being nice to Gwen and were putting her at risk of getting injured. Luckily, someone who was working with the family convinced them to turn her over to them and then that person worked to find a sanctuary for Gwen. When Gwen arrived it was like she had always been here--- like her spirit always knew GMS was where she belonged. She is our resident sweetheart. Gwen is always down for a belly rub or a good side scratch. She loves to flop on my feet as if to say "stay--- I need this belly rub more than anything you need to do!" Gwen was spayed shortly after arriving at GMS, as we firmly believe in the research that demonstrates female pigs MUST be spayed in order to live happy and healthy lives.
​
Personality traits: calm-- unless food is around, then she'll start a riot!, sweet, trusting, lovebug, snack-crazy
​
Favorite snacks: kiwi, watermelon, animal crackers
​
Sponsor Gwen
Meet Moe
Moe came to us after his human contacted us that she needed to find a better home for him. Moe was given to h er as a mother's day gift. She absolutely loved and cared for him for over a year, but as she continued to research and observe Moe's behavior, it became clear that Moe was becoming lonely and depressed. He was an only pig who also didn't have the safety of a fenced in yard, which could be dangerous is Moe began to wander. We agreed that Moe needed pig friends and the space to thrive. Moe quickly became top pig, much to Ollie's dismay.
​
Personality traits: sweet, chill, boss--- and if he could make dad joke, he would!
Favorite snacks: pumpkin, watermelon, icepops
​
Sponsor Moe
Meet Petunia
Petunia is pure sass! She has A LOT to say and will let you know how she feels! Petunia came to us on November 14, 2021. Petunia's original family was on a farm where they were purchasing a puppy. They saw Petunia, who was only a baby, and decided to take her as well. While they loved Petunia, they didn't have other pigs and their property was in the woods and not fenced in. As Petunia grew she began to wander and found herself in situations that could have ended her life far too soon. Luckily Petunia's family reached out for help. When Petunia arrived she was overweight and couldn't see very well. We worked on building trust and weight loss, and now she gets to live her very best life with her pig friends.
​
Personality traits: ALLLLL the sass, a little bitey, loves a belly rub, but don't think you can pet her anywhere else!
​
Favorite snacks: kiwi, watermelon, strawberries
​
Sponsor Petunia
Meet Olive
I first met Olive (and June) back in 2020. I was with a group of sanctuaries working to place pigs at an animal cruelty case down in North Carolina. Olive followed me everywhere for 2 days. I wanted so badly to take her to GMS, but we had just rescued Ollie and weren't sure at that time if he would be a permanent resident (read his story to understand why). Also, Olive was pregnant, and I do believe in keeping families together if it's possible. Olive and her sister June were taken by another "sanctuary" who turned out to be a horror show all on it's own. It was discovered that their "sanctuary" was in fact a fraud, and many animals they had "rescued" were left to the same or worse fate than from where they came. Olive and June were only able to survive because they were forced to eat the bodies of their friends who had died due to neglect. Absolutely heartbreaking. When I found out about what was going down at this "sanctuary" I immediately reached out to see if Olive and June were still alive---- and I was SO relieved to hear they were! I immediately made plans for their rescue. Olive and June were quarantined at Arthur's Acres and loving cared for by Christina. Olive's rescue date was July 29, 2022. Both girls officially moved to GMS in on September 18, 2022.
​
Personality traits: sweet, sweet and sweeeeeet, trustly and gentle
​
Favorite snacks: kiwi, watermelon, strawberries, carrots, and animal crackers
​
Sponsor Olive
Meet June
June was so defeated when we rescued her on July 30, 2022. She was so scared and wanted absolutely nothing to do with humans. Who can blame her? She had gone from one terrible experience right into another when she was promised sanctuary (read Olive's story to learn about when I first met June and her sister Olive and how they came to GMS). While Olive is very outgoing and willing to trust new people, June takes time to decide whether or not she trusts you. She's very observant and often will watch people from a distance. She doesn't like fast movements and does best when you move slow and speak gently with her. We are so honored that June loves her caretakers and seeks us out for chin and belly scratches.
​
Personality traits: sweet, timid, gentle
​
Favorite snacks: kiwi, watermelon, bananas and animal crackers
​