Nearly 50 potbelly pigs are looking for a home after they were found in ‘deplorable conditions’

BRYAN COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC/Gray News) - Nearly 50 potbelly pigs rescued from “deplorable” living conditions are now looking for a home.

It is being called Operation Savannah Liberation.

About three weeks ago, Cotton Branch Farm Sanctuary was called about an animal abuse and hoarding situation involving 250 dogs and 43 potbelly pigs from an animal rescue in Pembroke.

Joshua Carpenter, the refuge director of Cotton Branch Farm Sanctuary, said that more than 30 of the pigs were in two small cages filled with six to ten inches of mud and no space to roam.

“They couldn’t play, they couldn’t root, they were being fed by food thrown on the top of the mud, which was dog food and cat food,” Carpenter said.

The organization, along with the help of other groups nearby, began a rapid removal operation to save these animals.

“The day of the rescue we had Renegade Rescue with a lot of volunteers coming out to help, Starland Rescue, and Guyton came out to help, and some of our friends from Atlanta came down from their rescue to help out,” he said.

Then it was a matter of transporting them to a safe space.

“So the total now is 50. There were 43 on the property but we had seven little hurricane babies born last week,” said Joshua Carpenter, the refuge director of Cotton Branch Farm Sanctuary.

Cotton Branch has set up a temporary facility to house these pigs at least for the next month.

“When they got here, it was just amazing to watch them run and play and just wagging their tails,” Carpenter said. “And they were so excited and so happy to have space and to be able to be pigs and root around in dirt, instead of having to live in that filth and mud.”

Now, the sanctuary has the tall task of trying to adopt out 43 pet pigs. They’re hoping to get them all into good homes.

“Our goal is to have everybody in their new homes within a month,” Carpenter said.

In the meantime, they are raising money to help with spaying and neutering along with other vet bills.

“We have seven at the vet today getting neutered and they will be going to their new homes tomorrow in three different cities in South Carolina,” Carpenter said.

They also need people to sit and socialize with the pigs, so they are accepting volunteers over on their website.

The sanctuary is accepting donations to help with vet costs as well as an Amazon wishlist.

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