Where a pig can be a pig
(logo art by Eve Ujhelyi)
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| Already loaded in the back of the pickup truck on his way to be sold for meat, we were able to adopt LeRoy the goat at the last minute. Previously left tethered all day, LeRoy is now enjoying roaming around to meet the other animals and to sample the foliage. After polishing off the rose bushes, LeRoy has now moved on to the blackberry bushes for some serious munching.
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| Hello everyone, it's yard sale time again and donations are needed. The sale will be July 11 and 12. Donations can be dropped off anytime on the porch at 2907 NE Weidler Street (yellow house), the location of the sale. Your clutter turns into our hay...thanks!
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| Tax deductible receipts are available by calling Kit at 503-756-8652 or contact Kit at kit.collins@gmail.com. |
| The May yard sale was a big success with enough money raised to get up to date on past due veterinary expenses and have some left to use towards building projects. Many thanks to the Radical Cheerleaders for their help and everyone else who supported our sale. Another sale is tentatively planned for July 11th - 12th. All money raised will be used for feed, animal housing, and future veterinary expenses.
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| Yard sale donations can be dropped off anytime on the porch at 2907 NE Weidler Street (Portland; yellow house across from the Hollywood Fred Meyers). Tax deductible receipts are available by calling Kit at 503-756-8652 or contact Kit at kit.collins@gmail.com. Together we can provide care for more animals. |
| Last Sunday (May 31) John Collins and others gathered at Portland State University as part of the Let Live Series to share their sanctuary stories with a very appreciative audience. Click here for video clips of the event. Scroll down a little on the linked-to page and you'll see John. |
| Much thanks to the sponsors of the event.... the Let Live Foundation, Vegans for Animal Advocacy, Food Fight Grocery and Herbivore Magazine.
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| New Piggie Adoption Program at OTP
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| Here are some piggies relaxing in the sun. Aren't they cute? OTP is now working with Patty Hill from Pig Rescue and Placement Services to foster and rehome homeless pot bellied pigs. Pigs are clean, quiet, intelligent and fun companions who enjoy hanging out with their humans. Anyone interested in adopting a pot bellied pig should contact OTP.
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| Garage Sale for the animals, May 23 & 24
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| Now's the time to get rid of all that clutter and help animals at the same time. Garage sale donations needed to raise money for feed, veterinary expenses and animal housing. Garage sale donations can be dropped off anytime on the porch at 2907 NE Weidler Street, 97232 in Portland. (Yellow house across from the Hollywood Fred Meyers and office of John Collins). Tax deductible receipt available.Contact Kit at kit.collins@gmail.com or 503-756-8652. Many thanks from the animals.
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Honey, a two year old Boer goat, was rescued as a baby on the very day she was scheduled to be slaughtered. Crippled since birth, the goat breeder didn't want to waste any money on raising her. Fortunately, a kind hearted woman adopted her. As sweet as her name, Honey walks on one knee and will always be crippled. Lucky is a former racing pigeon who was found by the side of the road after being hit by a truck. Unable to fly, Lucky is a constant companion to Honey. Lucky and Honey are being fostered at Out to Pasture until their guardian can find a new place to live.
(Lucky is not usually confined to a cage at home). |
| Valentine's Day Benefit Dinner
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| Follow-up: The Valentine's Day Benefit Dinner raised $430 for veterinary care for the animals at Out to Pasture. Spike the crippled rooster got checked out by the avian veterinarian who determined he is definitely genetically modified. A victim of factory farming, he can hardly hold up his own body since he was bred to grow fast and have an abnormally large body. The remainder of the money raised will be used to spay Ruby the pot-bellied pig. We are also building a movable chicken grazing enclosure. Many thank yous to all of you who put on
the dinner (The Portland Round) and all of you who attended. Together we will take care of as many animals as possible.
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| Follow-up: Seems the vegan ice cream was lost in transit (airlines lost it) so the event was postponed...sorry for any inconvenience...Kit and John (OTP).
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| Follow-up: The movie night sponsored by Food Fight on February 8th netted over $250 which enabled OTP to make a large purchase of pig food at wholesale prices. Hay was purchased with the remainder of the money. The animals are happily munching away...thanks to Food Fight and everyone who came to the movie night!
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| OTP under a blanket of December 2008 snow
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2008 was a great year for Out to Pasture Sanctuary. We adopted cats from homeless people living on the streets in downtown Portland. We also adopted a feral cat colony from the Hollywood Fred Meyers parking lot. Several new pigs were adopted through the NW Miniature Pig Association. Our rooster population and early morning crowing continues to increase as folks in Portland are forced to give up their roosters by the city.
The December snow storm and deep freeze (see photos) was rough but we all survived. We had a few of the pigs, nine chickens, a bunch of cats and our dog all in the house with us before it was over.
Thanks to everyone who helped this last year with the Rabbitat, the straw bale chicken house and all the other projects. See you in 2009 -
May all beings be free of suffering.
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| Juanita, Bonita, Lolita...and Snowball...in Willamette Week - December 10, 2008
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| From the December 10 article titled...."Snow Job - A Molalla couple fights to keep Snowball but Deserts Juanita, Bonita and Lolita, their pot-bellied pigs":
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Now, the fact that the family left their pets behind without finding new homes for them has gotten the goat of several Portland-area animal lovers.
“They’re phony heroes,” says Patty Hill, vice president of the Northwest Miniature Pig Association.
Hill is one of several people who responded to a Craigslist ad posted by a friend of the new homeowners seeking families for the Molalla menagerie.
On Sept. 1, Hill organized a “rescue.” And what she found in the pen where Snowball once gamboled appalled her.“They were so lethargic,” Hill says. “Usually pigs will get up and just take off. But these pigs just laid there. They were sick.”
Kit Collins, a Northeast Portland woman who runs Out to Pasture Animal Sanctuary in Estacada, also took part in the rescue. A year earlier she had backed the Molalla couple in their Snowball fight with the state.
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| For the entire article click here.
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| Juanita update - October 31, 2008
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Little Juanita is enjoying the perks of being an indoor pig-one being the refrigerator and the other being her own little jacket for cold winter nights when the woodstove cools down. Juanita eats like a logger and is starting to finally gain some weight.
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| Lolita's surgery - October 31, 2008
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| After getting blood drawn from her ear for presurgery bloodwork, Lolita hung out in the clinic with Dr. Cole's little dog, Lizzie. She then entertained herself by tearing open a bag of grain she found behind a desk. Happily, the surgery revealed no tumors and no ovaries (already spayed it turned out). Lolita is now home resting comfortably on a pile of hay in the barn under her new comforter. Thanks to everyone for their support.
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| We still have a ways to go to pay off the remaining veterinary expenses so donations of any size are appreciated. |
| New sign - October 27, 2008
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| Our new Out to Pasture Animal Sanctuary sign was unveiled on Sunday, October 26th. A big thank you to Portland artist Eve Ujhelyi for her captivating rendition of the dancing pigs. |
| Bonita (some sad news) and Lolita update - October 14, 2008
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| Country music playing in the background, Dr. Cole successfully removed a tumor from Bonita at her clinic in Scio on Wednesday, Oct 8th. The tumor was growing rapidly and Bonita would have died without surgery. Bonita came out of the anesthesia strong and lively. Unfortunately, the story does not have a happy ending as Bonita died suddenly that night of an apparent blood clot and internal bleeding. We
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do our best and that's all we can do.
Thank you to everyone who helped give Bonita a chance. May she be running through fields of clover and know that we loved her.
The last rescue pig Lolita will be going in for surgery with Dr. Cole on Wednesday October 29th so please keep her in your thoughts on that day.
Thanks to all of you!!
Kit and Patty |
| Juanita update #2 - October 14, 2008
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| On Sunday October 12th, Juanita got her belly wrap off and got to go outside for the first time since her surgery. She grazed a little, walked awhile in the sun, then burrowed into the dirt for a nap. Juanita is extremely thin since her tumor previously left little room for food in her belly. She is now eating heartily and especially likes bananas and cantalopes. Click
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| here for more post-surgery pictures of Juanita. |
| Juanita update - October 1, 2008
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| Still in her belly wrap, little Juanita came home on Saturday September 27th snoring loudly in the car all the way home. She continued to sleep all afternoon and most the evening in the kitchen. Early Sunday morning she turned into Pigzilla knocking over everything in her path as she looked for more food. A good sign. Thanks to Dr. Cole and her staff for giving her the VIP treatment (very important pig). They sang to her, used a blow dryer to keep her warm and spoon fed her apple sauce. After neglect and abandonment, Juanita is finally getting the love and attention she deserves.
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| Juanita's surgery - September 27, 2008
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| Forwarded:
On Wednesday September 25th, Dr. Sally Cole removed a 21 pound tumor from little 85 pound Juanita, one of the three rescued pigs. Her prognosis is not good but we will do our best to give her a good life in the time she has left. And do everything we can to increase her chances of survival. But when the surgeon says "Oh, sh--", you know that's not a good sign. The sad part is she could have been saved
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| if the tumor had been detected and treated sooner. The other two pigs, Bonita and Lolita, are in somewhat better condition and will be going in for surgery in the next few weeks. |
| Thanks to everyone who has donated to help these abandoned piggy's. Any donation of any size is greatly appreciated as there will be more expense with the next two surgeries. |
God Bless you All!!!
Patty Hill |
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Donations can be sent directly to Dr. Sally Cole. The address is...
Scio Animal Hospital, P.C.
PO Box 611
Scio, Oregon 97374 |
| Donations in the form of a check should be made out to the clinic. Please include a note with it saying it's for the rescue pig account under the Kit Collins account. Email Kit for a tax-deductible receipt or send the check directly to Kit in Estacada but made out to the Scio Animal Hospital. Thanks! |
| Click here for more surgery photos. |
| Pig rescue update - September 23, 2008
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| On Saturday September 20th, Dr. Cole drove up from Scio to provide much needed veterinary care for the three rescue pigs. Hooves were trimmed followed by deworming injections, and immunizations. Health problems included tumors, malnutrition, advanced arthritis and an abscess. Little Juanita is scheduled Wednesday September 24 for spaying and to remove a huge tumor with the hope that her life can still be saved. Bonita and Lolita will be scheduled
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| later. These pigs were taken from the same property in Molalla that previously housed Snowball the deer. Snowball was in the news last year after the family rescued her and did not want to turn her over to Fish and Wildlife. We were told that Snowball's owners moved to Florida after Snowball was taken to a wildlife sanctuary. The new property owners said they were surprised to find animals abandoned on the property. Beside the pigs, there was a llama, peacock, roosters and other birds who were adopted out to new homes. |
| Sunday September 7th, we started construction on a straw bale chicken house to keep our roosters warm this winter. The Vegan Chain Gang first dug a trench, filled it with gravel and put cinder blocks on top for the foundation. Next tar paper was put on the cinder blocks. Then bales of straw were wrapped in chicken wire and put on the cinder blocks. The following week, the first coat of stucco was applied under the guidance of Aaron,
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| the stucco master. The fun will continue the next two weekends. Thanks to Lacey, Holly, Alyssa, Aaron, Sara, Syd, Kristen and Amy for all your hard work. Click here for more photos. |
| Piggy Sue Update - September 16, 2008
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| Over a year ago Piggy Sue was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and given a terminal prognosis with two months to live. Euthanasia was recommended. We chose surgery followed by good food, lots of love, and homeopathic treatment. Piggy Sue is now healthier than ever and is shown here enjoying a back rub from Lacey. Click here for more photos.
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| Movie fundraiser a success
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| Thank you Chad and Emiko (Food Fight Grocery) and everyone who joined us for the movie last night (Sept. 14). Was great to see so many people there. Thank you for contributing to the care of the animals at Out To Pasture. |
| Rescued pigs get new home
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| With the help of the NW Miniature Pig Association, three abandoned pot-bellied pigs were brought out to the sanctuary on September 1, 2008. They had been left on the property in Molalla when the family moved to Florida. A man had been paid to care for the animals until the new property owners took possession. Unfortunately, this man did not provide adequate food for the pigs
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| and they were in bad shape. One pig walks on her knees, one is very thin and has eye problems. All three of them walk with a limp. The new property owners were shocked to find all the animals since there had been no mention of the animals during the sale of the home. Besides the pigs, there was a llama, caged birds, peacocks and roosters. All the animals have now been placed in sanctuaries in Oregon. |
| July 26 volunteer work day
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| A group of volunteers came out July 26th for another work day. Chores ranged from shoveling manure to picking blueberries. Volunteers also framed The Rabbitat (outdoor rabbit exercise enclosure) and painted the pig houses. A good time was had by all except Piggy Sue who was quite disgruntled to have humans messing with her house. She spent the day snorting and circling the workers while volunteers repaired the roof, floor, and a water damaged wall. But Piggy Sue was not too indignant to take time out to enjoy several belly rubs from willing volunteers. At the end of the day she nestled into a pile of fresh straw as she enjoyed her new bamboo floor. |
| July 13 volunteer work day
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| On Sunday, July 13th, a group of volunteers came out and spent the day. Post holes were dug for the new rabbit exercise area also known as the Rabbitat. Chunks of fallen trees were removed from the sheep pen, the pig pen got raked, black berry bushes were trimmed back, and the sheep got sheared. Ripe organic blueberries |
| were available, free for the picking. We finished off the day with lunch (thanks to Syd and Sara) and live piano music provided by Ruby, Tessa, and Adam. Thanks to everyone who came out to lend a hand. |
| On Saturday June 7th, Dr. Sally Cole came up from Scio to provide
annual veterinary care for the pigs. The piggies were all vaccinated, had toenail trims, and tusks filed down. Pigs are easily stressed
out so anesthesia was used to calm them down. Members of the Northwest Miniature Pig Association volunteered to come out and help
contain and hold pigs. Dr Cole specializes in veterinary care for pigs and has even formulated the best line of pig food available
anywhere. Even so , the piggies were glad to see Dr. Cole's truck pulling out of the driveway at the end of the day. |
| Six rabbits advertised as free, ready for butchering were rescued and brought out to the sanctuary. The rabbits are now here happily munching carrots and nibbling on hay.
We had a spell of freezing weather dipping into the lower 20s and high teens. John is hanging canvas in the door of the horse shelter to give them added warmth. |
| Piggy Sue was adopted two years ago through the NW Miniature Pig Association. A sweet and friendly pig, Piggy Sue had been living in an apartment but was unwanted after a divorce. She is well-socialized and will roll over for a belly rub any time her back is rubbed. Piggy Sue was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and underwent a four hour surgery where a 14 pound cancerous tumor was removed. The veterinarian recommended euthanasia as she was certain the cancer would return within a couple of months. Piggy Sue is currently undergoing homeopathic treatment and is doing very well. She has already outlived her prognosis.
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| Volunteer Work Parties
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| Volunteers spent the afternoon of October 14, 2007 with Kit and John Collins, and of course the animals. An expansion to the rooster enclosure was constructed and blackberry vines were trimmed back. Volunteers were introduced to Piggy Sue and all of the other animals who have a safe home at OTP. |
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| We believe that non-human animals value their lives as much as we value our own and deserve to live free of exploitation and cruelty. |
| The Blueberry Patch | |
| Spike is believed to be a genetically modified rooster. He was adopted by a |
| Portland family as a chick and grew five times the rate of the other chicks until he was unable to support his own body weight. Spike lifts his body but is unable to move more than a few steps until he falls back down. Despite all this, Spike still enjoys joining the early morning crowing choir with the other roosters and has a lovely voice. He eats heartily to keep up his muscular physique.
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| Lloyd the llama was working as a guard llama guarding sheep when they were attacked by a |
| pack of dogs. Lloyd tried his best to protect the sheep but he was no match for that many dogs. Sadly, the sheep were killed and Lloyd was left permanently crippled from a huge wound to his hind leg. |
| He is now decked out in child size skateboarder knee pads to soften the impact when he drops down on his knees to lay down. He's unable to rock back onto his hind legs to lower himself in the usual way because of his hind quarter injuries.
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| Nearly thirty years old and blind in one eye, Bossman was purchased years ago at dog foodprices. Ribs showing, hooves |
| overgrown, and an abuse survivor, Bossman protected himself by biting and kicking out at humans. Bossman now spends his days lounging in the pasture with Singer, an ex-race horse. He is now happy to see humans approaching, especially those with apples or carrots in their hands.
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| Frenchie was rescued from a drug house in Portland. The woman who rescued her said large guard |
| dogs had killed the other cats before she got there. Most likely suffering from trauma, Frenchie has a variety of erratic behavior problems which make her unadoptable to most homes. She can be aggressive and destructive for no reason. Frenchie requires a lot of space and gentle handling. She has calmed down a lot and gotten friendlier since she arrived a year ago.
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