Annie Mae was once a beautiful young pig whose owner decided that they could no longer keep her. An ad was placed in the local paper and a couple with a farm bought her. A male pig soon followed and the piglets began accumulating. Seven years later, there were 83 of them along with Annie Mae. As the years passed, all of the males had been “culled” in order to unsuccessfully stem the population explosion. Of the 84 pigs, only 14 were males – all tiny piglets. What trusting Annie Mae and her daughters had witnessed over the years must have been horrendous.

A chance encounter in July of 2004 alerted us that this large pig family’s home was being sold and that they were in grave danger. A visit confirmed the worst as it was found that the pigs subsisted on molded bakery goods and a few kernels of cracked corn. No fresh waster was available. Annie Mae was always at the rescuers’ sides as they walked around the property in dazed disbelief at the problem confronting them in saving the lives of Annie Mae’s immense family. She seemed to be almost begging to be taken out of the heat and the dirt pen that was their home.

All of the pigs were taken to safety and given a forever home at Ranger’s Refuge at Gallastar Equine Center. But Annie Mae and her granddaughter, Freedom, were not allowed to leave. The rescuers were told she could be taken right before the couple left in January. Winter came and went. No word about the fate of Annie Mae and Freedom. Phone calls went unreturned. A miraculous turn of events led us to know in July that the farm’s owners were leaving within days and frantic calls were made. Arrangements were made to retrieve Annie Mae and Freedom.

They were not the spoiled “yard pigs” we were led to believe they would be. Instead, they were in the same lot. But now both pigs were obese beyond belief. Annie was lying in a tin shed in intense heat surrounded by rotten, molded people food littered on the ground around her. She was unable to walk at all. There was no water bowl at all. She did not even lift her head or open her eyes as her rescuers tried to help her. She seemed beyond caring about anything. Being younger, Freedom had fared better and at least put up a bit of a fuss as she was loaded in the crate.

When Annie Mae and Freedom were unloaded into a pen adjacent to the rest of their family, Annie Mae sniffed and sniffed. After the water deprived pigs had been allowed to gradually drink her fill, the old gal literally drug herself over to the where her waiting daughters and their daughters waited to greet the matriarch of their herd. It was instant recognition and Annie Mae made herself a nest next to the fence. She was finally home and she knew it. All of her family was safe and accounted for and her eyes gleamed once more.

Due to her severe arthritis, Annie had to move into the special needs barn with three other older pigs. She adapted well with the special care, attention and diet. In August of 2006, she was taken to Knoxville and the University of Tennessee to be x-rayed and evaluated to see what could be done to help her become more mobile. Radiographs confirmed severe arthritis in her elbows – the worst that they had seen. She also had a step defect in the spine. Annie Mae was given a prescription for injections of adequan, chewable rimadyl, over the counter remedies and a good hoof trim. The results have been remarkable. For the first time since her arrival, Annie is now able to walk to her food and out to the door on all fours instead of on her knees. Along with all of her medical needs being met, we do our best to lavish her with love and respect she so deserves. In turn, Annie Mae is a constant reminder of what it means to forgive and move on past all obstacles with gentleness and a sweetness of soul that can bring tears to your eyes.