A Home for Wilbur and Charlotte

Lisa Valente and Lindsay McCrone of the BC SPCA West Vancouver Branch were called out on a Saturday afternoon in September, along with by-law officers, to seize two pigs from a make-shift pen on Cypress Mountain.

The pigs were standing up to their bellies in mud and faeces, without adequate shelter from the heavy rains. Their feet were sore and they walked with difficulty.

Getting them into the SPCA van was a major problem involving a harness made of dog collars and a lot of heft and pull, all to the accompaniment of loud protests from the pigs. But once they found themselves in a warm dry shelter, they were in pig heaven.

Volunteers responded to the emergency by cleaning out their fridges for veggies and fruit, and the West Vancouver Safeway and Whole Foods made generous donations of produce (corn on the cob turned out to be a favourite).

Now named Wilbur and Charlotte, the pigs were in need of a permanent home. After a week at the shelter, and many phone calls and emails, they were offered a home in Mission at the animal rescue facility called SAINTS (Senior Animals In Need Today).

SAINTS is a three-acre facility run by Carol Hine, who works as a community nurse by day, but is a “saint” to the animals in her care the rest of the time. Her shelter is primarily a palliative care facility and a rest home for elderly/unwanted animals.

Some animals are adopted out, but many, because they need special care, live out their time with Carol and her volunteer helpers.

SAINTS helps to fill a huge gap in the lower mainland for specialized animal care. Donations and support are much needed; if you would like to help support Wilbur and Charlotte,visit the SAINTS’ website.

If you’d like to visit Willie and Charlotte, SAINTS offers tours every Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. sharp. The BC SPCA would like to thank Carol and her volunteers for taking in Charlotte and Wilbur.

The BC SPCA is a non-profit organization funded primarily by public donations. Our mission is to prevent cruelty and to promote the welfare of animals through a wide range of services, including cruelty investigations, emergency rescue and treatment, sheltering and adoption of homeless and abused animals, humane education, advocacy, farm animal welfare, spay/neuter programs, and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.