Her name is Winnie and she arrived at a shelter when she was only 6 weeks old, but in this place she found not only protection but an unconditional friend.
Winnie came to Charlotte’s Freedom Farm after her family realized they would not be able to keep it. The puppy had problems with his front legs and sternum, which had not developed normally.
The furry dog’s condition is delicate and therefore needs permanent care. Although he lives in a sanctuary, the little dog exposes himself to playing with the other dogs in the place, since they do so in a rough manner and could hurt him.
Given his situation, poor Winnie became a lonely dog, but this changed when a special friend arrived at the sanctuary.
This is Wilma, a little pig who was rescued on the road with some injuries. The pig was disoriented, which is why they suspect that it could have jumped from a truck that was transporting livestock.
When the pig arrived at the shelter she was immediately attracted to the puppy and after chasing him, she managed to catch his attention.
“They met right when she arrived and were playing within minutes. They look at each other and instantly go into game mode, it’s pretty cute,” Edwards said.
Edwards is more pleased with this unexpected friendship, since the dog no longer feels alone and has a much safer relationship. Although the pig has a quite particular personality.
«She’s sweet but man! It is also daring. If you pick her up, she screams so loud I’m sure they can hear her across the street. “He figured out how to jump on the couch and he loves doing it,” Edwards said.
Wilma is somewhat naughty and loves being outdoors, something that the dog also enjoys, but given her condition, Winnie cannot always keep up with her and sits down to rest.
“They also stay outside, but she is very focused on looking for insects. He just sits and hangs out and watches her when they’re outside,” Edwards said.
“It definitely helped her feel more comfortable coming here. She is still quarantined from the other pigs (protocol only, for safety), so getting a good friend helped her not feel alone. And he’s been spending his time playing with his dog brother… This works for both of them!” Edwards said.
For now, there is a little more time before the piglet is moved to the enclosure where her kind are and the keepers are considering leaving her at home for a long time with the puppy.
Sometimes medicine is not the only way to recover health and energy, and the love that Wilma has injected into Winnie has been a great solution for her condition.
The little dog is now happy and in good spirits to have someone to share his days with. Of course, the piglet will grow and can weigh more than 350kg, so for Edwards it will also be curious to see them grow. We hope that this friendship continues to be nourished and the beautiful dog manages to overcome all his health problems.