Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Why don’t I just keep the pigs myself instead of raising a large sum of money to send them off to a farm animal sanctuary?
Answer: I could do this if the rest of my family was excited about caring for six pigs for the next dozen or so years. It would be a little like having six 200 lb dogs with voracious appetites and a predilection for invading gardens and tearing up grass. When we leave Sedgwick to visit the larger world, we leave our dog Ruby in the capable hands of our neighbors. But the pigs? Pig sitters are harder to come by. But perhaps the single greatest reason why keeping them is unsustainable is that it’s an incredible amount of work. I shudder to think about all the time I have spent over the last eight months gathering food and moving the pigs to greener pasture. My brand of conscientious care is time consuming, and though it’s not entirely necessary, I can’t not do it.
Question: What about giving or selling the pigs to farmers who raise American Guinea hogs for breeding purposes?
Answer: Yes, in this scenario they would get to live while they are useful for breeding. But the real issue I have with this is that I’d be helping to create more pigs, and the world does not need more pigs.
Question: If it’s necessary to slaughter them in the end, why not donate the food to a local food bank? Wouldn’t their lives gain some purpose?
Answer: My pigs don’t need a purpose other than living their own lives. Americans spend roughly 9 billion dollars on Halloween while more than 15 million households suffer from food insecurity. We don’t need more pork; we need a new set of priorities.