Animal Place

7/14/2012 Edit:

To protect these children from harmful communication, we have elected to remove contact information. If you can provide help for any of these pigs, please leave a comment.

Additionally, the title of this post has been modified to better clarify our position regarding the FFA/4H animal-market (animal slaughter) programs. Original title “The Horrors of FFA & 4H - Pleas for Help”. We stand by our original title (hence why we are keeping it in the body of the post), but want to take the focus off of our position on FFA/4H animal-raising programs and put the focus back on the needy pigs and children.

In the past week, Animal Place has received three requests to take in farm pigs from various areas of California. All the pigs have one thing in common - they were born solely to be raised for 4H or FFA (Future Farmers of America) school programs. The end fate for most of these animals is a brutal betrayal and slaughter.

Not every child enters the program fully realizing the trauma they and their beloved companion animals will endure at the end. Some are not explicitly told that the animals they are raising are being raised for slaughter. Almost all are required to take out bank loans that can only easily be repaid by selling the animal.

These are their pleas. And this is the reality of 4H and FFA.

We are not in a position to take in these pigs, and it is difficult to find homes for them.

We reach out to you. If you know of someone who can provide a permanent refuge to these beautiful animals, please contact the people below. This is not a time to berate anyone, only a time to network and prevent future tragedies with education.

We did not receive this request until this morning - it is the most urgent

“my name is Emily. I’m 15 years old. My FFA teacher did not tell me that we were selling our pigs for meat and meat only. My pigs name is Napolean Kip-Lin Dynamite, He is all white with a black butt & snout. His favorite spot to be scratched is behind his ears & the top of his snout. His personality is similar to mine, energetic, playful & most of all loud. He runs around his pen barking and growling. YES barking and growling. I took out a loan on him for $430. I am saving all of my money to pay it back. But i am NOT asking for a donation of money, But i am asking for a permanent or temporary place for Napolean to live without getting slaughtered with transportation to your sanctuary. If i don’t find him a place to stay by thursday i will have no choice but to auction him off for meat. And i know it’s last minute but i’m desperate.Here is my mom’s phone numbers. If you know of anybody that can take him or help me find him a home would  be greatly apriciated. I have attached a few photos of Napolean & i for your veiwing pleasure. (:

Rico is a 6-mos-old pig who is much beloved by his 9-yr-old caregiver, who is devastated that the pig is slated for slaughter. You can read about him on our petfinder page

Jimmy is a 6-mos-old pig whose child caregiver is desperate to try and find a home for him. He is slated for sale and slaughter this weekend.