From the president
January 2025
Dear Supporter,
Happy New Year and, as always, welcome to a new year at the Ironwood Pig Sanctuary. We are happy to report that we are heading into the end of the 1st quarter of the 21st century hoping to have another successful year ahead saving the lives of many more pigs as we have done for the past quarter century. We have welcomed 77 new pigs to Ironwood this past year. That is 77 more lives that we will take care of for the remaining years of their lives. Babies and seniors, skinny and obese, crippled and mangled by dogs, strays and abandoned, and many hoarding situations. Many have medical issues from years of neglect and arthritis so bad they can hardly walk. And yes, some who have come to us because of a life changing event that has necessitated the people giving their pig to us to care for were healthy and loved. For all these reasons, running the Sanctuary is never easy nor will it be in the coming year.
We are here because you have made it so. You don’t get to enjoy the real life experience of watching our pigs brought back from a dire situation who are now able to get up to walk around because they have lost enough weight. For some it is just being able to walk at all after receiving meds or getting joint injections after living with painful joint arthritis for so long or having hooves so long they could not walk (see Bella’s picture). Bella was successfully trimmed and is doing well. Others love running and doing zoomies around the yard or rolling and splashing in a wallow after coming from a horrible tiny, filthy pen or having recovered from a severe painful dog attack. Seeing them grab donated pumpkins and run off with one to their secret places where they can enjoy it in comfort brings a smile to my face. It is so heartwarming to see them cuddling together in their shelters in warm blankets and comforters they often have never had that have been donated by you. One thing that I really love the most is when we find two pigs that have come from previously solitary homes now snuggled together in one shelter and becoming bonded. Or watching their hair go up in excitement as they flop over for a belly rub as many others gather around for their turn. These are the scenes of life at the sanctuary that you see vicariously from our newsletters and website, but we get to enjoy daily. These sights and so many more are what makes us get ready to embark on another year of fulfilling our mission to rescue and care for so many pigs in need. We are so grateful to you for making it possible to make these scenes happen in this new year and all year long.
Sincerely,
Mary Schanz, President & CoFounder
