A 300-pound former emotional support pig named Truffles has found a forever home and an unlikely new best friend at a B.C. sanctuary. The B.C. SPCA appealed for adoption applications last month, hoping to connect the 10-year-old pig to people who could offer him a place to live with room to roam while supporting his weight-loss journey. Truffles, the charity noted, had “lots of kindness and love to share” in return. Jane Long-Haggerty, the president of New Beginnings Animal Sanctuary, tells CTV News she knew right away that the 27-acre property in the Okanagan would be a perfect fit. “Everybody was like, yes, we need him,” she says, adding that she knew the charity would be flooded with applications after Truffles’ search for a home was covered by local media. The sanctuary beat out the competition from other applicants, and the portly porcine was transported from Surrey to Summerland. Upon arrival, Truffles was greeted by several curious goats, along with Long-Haggerty and her family. When Truffles was given his welcome meal, a chicken named Little Red tried to get in on the action. Usually, according to Long-Haggerty, pigs are quite territorial when they’re feeding – particularly around unknown animals. But Truffles didn’t chase Little Red away. Instead, the pig seemed happy to share with the bird. “That was a little bit surprising,” Long-Haggerty says, adding that after the pair enjoyed a shared meal Little Red hopped onto Truffles’ back and started grooming him. “It was almost like they knew each other already. It was very cute.” Since that first day, the pair have been pretty much inseparable. Little Red has forsaken her coop at night, preferring to sleep next to or perched atop Truffles in the pig barn. Long-Haggerty doesn’t know Truffles’ entire backstory, but said it’s not uncommon for potbellied pigs to play the role of an emotional support animal. “They’re really smart and they’re super friendly with people and? make those really strong bonds,” she says. The problem, however, is that people often underestimate or are misled about how big the pigs will grow leading to their surrender. In Truffles’ case, the human he was supporting had to move and couldn’t take the pig along. The person left caring for Truffles wasn’t able to provide the animal with the proper support and diet, which is why the B.C. SPCA got involved. Long-Haggerty says it’s too soon to tell how much progress Truffles has made with his weight loss – but she’s grateful that the B.C. SPCA introduced him to healthier foods to get him off to a good start. Whatever the rest of his journey brings, one thing is already abundantly clear – Truffles won’t be doing it alone. More information about the sanctuary’s work, including how to donate to the non-profit, is available online.
