Herd Originale

                                          PandaPig...who raised YumYum like his own.

PandaPig contemplating a "treat" with herdmates YumYum and Bear,
the BeaverPig

These photographs show PandaPig, the founder of the Sanctuary, along with his original herdmates, amongst whom YumYum remains the sole survivor. Both PandaPig and Bear passed away within days of one another of cancer. The miracle? How long they actually lived! Bear (on the bottom) has a beautiful story we will share...taken in as a Hospice Piggie one Christmas Eve, Bear had cancer tumors so large they bulged heavily out of his sides like bowling balls. He became so happy and well nourished that his cancer actually went into spontaneous remission until Panda passed four months later...neither of them ever alone or unwanted again. That was one of our first experiences discovering the Secret Lives of Guinea Pigs and how much their emotions, nutrition, having friends, enjoying lovable handling and playtime all contribute so much to their well-being that a dying pig can miraculously recover, healed by LOVE, even if loved for the very first time! Two things can kill guinea pigs because of their profound sensitivity: grief and physical pain. After Bear and PandaPig passed, the only way to keep YumYum
alive was new friends FAST so the day Bear passed, mom came home with Raj and Taj Mahal who had been surrendered to the Whatcom Humane Society. It is rare to find a pair of piggies, much less siblings, but when we needed them, they were waiting and HOME they came! They remain the Clowns of the Herd with their notorious "Food-Snatch Capers."

YumYum is losing weight and becoming palpably bony so we tried something new and unusual: Everyone out on Runabout at the same time (except Calvin because he isn't neutered and could knock up Coconut, who held her own with the rowdy, randy boys!)
The secret to keeping males from fighting over dominance is space, space, and more space...and mom sat in the middle with treats as everyone approached and stealthily snatched what they acted like was the last treat left in the World before racing off with it to a secret, undisclosed location. Fun was had by all. Calvin got his Runabout last but that's when the honeydew melon got busted open and he and mom shared it together, Calvin's eyes shining brightly. We treat him as if his spine is made of glass, which basically it is, fragile and breakable; yet despite the pain his eyes shine brightly and he still demands the infamous "nighty-night snuggles" with mom at bedtime. We are hanging in there!

Still Life in Rust

Sometimes things that have weathered the test of time and the elements become more beautiful for having simply survived.
These "Still Life in Rust" photographs are how mom hopes to become...discovering that survival has turned into color once the struggling settles down and life becomes still again.