Iris and Brianne

Iris (left) and Brianne (right) are bonded sisters. They came to Blind Spot in July 2022 along with four piglets. Brianne had been hit in the head with a baseball bat and sustained three broken ribs. Brianne has since healed, albeit with a permanent head tilt. She remains exceptionally sweet and kind. Best of all, the entire family is now a bonded group. Their billboard appears in Duplin County heading westbound near the I-40 exit 384.

Daisy

Daisy is an older pig, which is remarkable considering most pigs are slaughtered before the age of 2. Daisy came to Sisu in 2019 as part of a cruelty case. She had severe atrophy in one of her hind legs that made walking near impossible. Daisy has since made a tremendous recovery, although she still battles with arthritis. She is now living her best life and enjoys the sun and short walks in the pasture. Her billboard appears in Sampson County on I-40 heading westbound, at the mile marker 353.

Mr. Pancakes and Hannah Banana

These two lucky pigs found each other at Sisu Refuge. This video explains it all

Unfortunately Hannah passed away on May 5, 2023, due to an infection. Mr. Pancakes still grieves, as does the rest of the Sisu family.

Toby

In 2018, Toby, a 400–500lb male pig was found on I-40. He had passed out from heat exhaustion and been attacked by a pack of dogs. It is unknown where he came from or where he was heading, but the nose rings in his snout indicate that he had been raised for meat. Thankfully a good Samaritan saw him on the road and contacted the police who got in touch with the Orange County Animal Shelter.

They contacted Blind Spot who assumed the bills for his medical care and made room for him to call home. Toby has healed and bonded with two other pigs at the sanctuary. He now enjoys being hand-fed vegan ice cream bars. Mocha almond fudge, please! The News and Observer ran a story on Toby in 2022, which you can see here.

Raven

Shannon had the pleasure of transporting Raven to Blind Spot in August 2022 after a young couple reached out to the sanctuary about a piglet who had “appeared in their yard.” (Unfortunately this story is frequently heard by folks in pig rescue. Piglets are sold as “miniature pigs” and when people learn there is no such thing as a miniature pig, they try to get rid of them. We don’t know if this is the case for the people who had Raven, but it is important to stress that mini pigs are a myth.)

Raven was likely less than a week old at the time. Piglets need the milk and warmth of their mothers, and for a piglet to be separated from their mother at a week old can be life-threatening. Thankfully Blind Spot had a nursing mother (Celine), and volunteers who were willing to help supplement Raven’s food around the clock. Celine and all her piglets accepted Raven and raised her as part of their family.

Raven is now approaching her first birthday. She has blossomed into a character with a BIG personality. Please check out this video of some of Raven’s shenanigans.

Skeezer

Skeezer is a 10-year-old Yucatán pig who came to Blind Spot with Frances. They came from a research facility where they were used in burn research. They spent the first five years of their lives in a clinical setting and had never smelled fresh air or touched grass. The two girls are doing wonderfully and have bonded with another pig, Okja. Pictured above is Skeezer with Alesja Daehnrich, co-owner and founder of Blind Spot.

“When I met Skeezer I was so touched by the way she greeted me. I was a stranger in her home, part of the same species who had exploited her. She had every reason to fear me, but instead she gently welcomed me and let me pet her. I have a lot to learn from pigs.” —Shannon