Jun2013_OUR PET PIG
I read your letter to the Editor from Slade Walker regarding the use of nose rings in pigs.
He was referring to the comment made from a Mr Smitt.
We bought a 2month female pig 6 months ago now who has brought us much joy.
She is very smart and very affectionate.
She sleeps inside at night in her own bed and runs around with our young filly through the day.
After six months of thought we decided to have a nose ring inserted into our pigs nose.
I don’t think I have ever been so upset with having to make this decision, but we had run out of options and did not want her to be confined to just one small area, as this is no life for a pig.
Our beautiful pig could destroy our back yard in a matter of minutes and the bruises I had on my legs were incredible . . . . from her butting me with her nose.
She would open our drawers in our house, the cupboards and send the kids and other animals flying with her nose.
We spent $600.00 building an area to have of her own outside and laid wire under the grass so she could not dig this up with her nose.
She is most happy when she can run our whole 5acre property with our filly as they are the best of friends.
So the time came and we had to make the choice of having a nose ring inserted or keeping her locked up in one area.
I felt terrible for doing this to her, but what a change:
We no longer have our lawn torn up;
She does not hurt anyone butting with her nose; and
She is allowed to run freely with our mare, which she enjoys the most.
Slade Walker performed the procedure. He sedated her and she was in no pain.
He gave her a shot of antibiotics and gave us information for cleaning after care.
My husband works for Tangalooma Island Resort and the parks and wildlife rangers have a lot of problems with the feral pigs over there, with the damage they cause.
I did not understand this until we bought a pig and saw how quickly they can damage the land.
If I had to choose to do this again I would, if it meant that our pig had more freedom, with less damage to the land.
She is free ,not locked away in a tiny area for the rest of her life.
Mrs Kerrie Osborne.
