Pola the big pig has crossed the rainbow bridge
Animal Stories from All-Creatures.org

FROM

Juliana's Animal Sanctuary, Andes Mountains of Colombia
July 2018

I didn't want to let her go, I am the most selfish person in the universe because I just wanted to enjoy her presence in my life...to see the beauty of her eyes, to touch her nose, to caress her thick hair, to see her sleeping with her friend, Zach the rooster. I need to hug her, I need her terribly, I need her in my life. She saved me, she made me a better person, she put my heart in the right place, she is my goodness.

Pola pig
Pola, Zach and Juliana...

With pain in my heart which I can't describe, I want to inform you that my beautiful pig, Pola, the first rescued pig in my country, left her body a few weeks ago.

I rescued Pola two years and 11 months ago. She was extremely fat, living a life of misery in a dog shelter where the dogs were in such poor care, they started to eat parts of Pola's body. Rescuing her took three days.

I was literally praying the night before my last chance to save her. She was living in a very dirty place, dogs harassing her, and her food was pasta water with dog food (containing pig, of course). Finally, we got her in the truck; she was crying a lot, too big to move and too aggressive.

At the sanctuary, we were waiting for her with a big bucket of fresh fruit, a big green area, a pool, and a warm house. She was so happy, it was a party! She got out of the truck, ran to her new area, and jumped in the pool with a big smile on her face. It was one of the best days of my life and no doubt of her life.

This is when we started to walk together. She started a healthy diet and lost 150 pounds, she was in shape and walking better.

Sadly, with her poor diet and quality-of-life earlier on, Pola arrived with bad osteoarthritis which was killing her body. The last few years provided her with good food, medical care, and tons of love. She changed the way she saw humans, loving them, and was no longer aggressive. She loved other animals, including dogs; and she loved music and to sing, she had a beautiful voice.

In the last two months her bones gave up, her back legs stopped working, and so I became her wheelchair. I started the gym to build muscle so I could support half her body, and I did it for a long time.

She helped me with her front legs and I held all the rest so she could walk a bit, pee, poop, and return to her house. It was hard work for our volunteers as well.

In the last few days I noticed all was different. She was not excited about food, her front legs were not responding; she was not the same pig, not the same happiness. I contacted all the veterinarians who know about pigs, and no one gave me good news. I contacted another sanctuary in the US, and they explained to me this would not get better and it was time to let her go.

I didn't want to let her go, I am the most selfish person in the universe because I just wanted to enjoy her presence in my life...to see the beauty of her eyes, to touch her nose, to caress her thick hair, to see her sleeping with her friend, Zach the rooster. I need to hug her, I need her terribly, I need her in my life. She saved me, she made me a better person, she put my heart in the right place, she is my goodness. Animals are my everything, they save me, THEY SAVE US.

When I started the first and so far only farm sanctuary in my country, I knew I couldn't save them all, but I knew the animals here would be a voice for those animals still suffering on farms, in cages, and all those in pain. The animals at the sanctuary show the world they deserve respect and love. I want people to come here and see how freedom looks for them, and how they are just like our dogs and cats at home.

Pola helped MANY humans to change the way they eat, many who no longer eat animals. I received emails from these people, emails that I read to Pola. Pola had just three years of freedom, her first nine years spent in the hands of horrible humans. Pola, like the woman who fought for freedom in my country, Policarpa, died young because humans denied her freedom and did not care for her at an early age. Pola, like the warrior, Policarpa, left this world with one message: Freedom and Equality For All Beings.


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