Porky duo are heavyweight stars
GARDEN CENTRE RESIDENTS HAVE LOTS OF FANS...AND THEIR OWN FACEBOOK PAGE
THIS couple are as happy as pigs in muck.
In fact Matilda and Piggy – Vietnamese pot bellied pigs – are a big attraction at Colne Valley Garden Centre in Golcar.
The porky pair have lived near the garden centre’s children’s area since they arrived as piglets five years ago.
Youngsters love nothing better than tickling and stroking the rotund sides of these heavyweight stars.
Matilda and Piggy have simple pleasures but want for nothing thanks to their ‘handler’ Rebecca Smith, who looks after all the animals as internal manager at the garden centre.
Rebecca, 31, said: “Everybody loves them and they are a big attraction for us.
“They were tiny when they arrived and you could pick them up. You certainly can’t do that now – and if they lean into you they will nearly knock you over!
“Both of them love to have their bellies rubbed. Matilda, particularly, is a people person – or a people pig. They will come over and let you rub their stomachs, tickle their ears or rub their noses. They love the attention.”
The pigs are housed in a speciallybuilt wooden shelter, are regularly checked on and eat only the best – a specialist food that’s mixed with water, warmed in the winter.
“It’s a boring diet but they seem to love it,” said Rebecca. “We’re not allowed to feed them pig swill or kitchen waste.
“Overall they are easy to look after and not demanding at all. However if a pig doesn’t want to do something it won’t do it. Pig-headed, you might say.” Rebecca takes great pride in caring for her pigs and was hurt when people took to Facebook to say they weren’t being properly looked after.
Last year the complaints led to the RSPCA inspecting their pig shelter – and giving it a clean bill of health – and this week someone went on social media to say the pigs’ eyes looked to be sore and swollen.
Rebecca said: “It is upsetting when people write things like that on Face-
They were tiny when they arrived and you could pick them up. You certainly can’t do that
now!
book because I’m so passionate about looking after my pigs.
“Last year the RSPCA came but went away perfectly happy and even when I’m not here there’s someone here who knows about animals.
“If people have any issues I would much rather they come and speak to me direct – I’m very approachable – rather than write things on Facebook.”
You could say Matilda and Piggy are not just well looked after, they are pampered as well.
They suffer from dry skin, so Rebecca applies Vaseline in winter and suncream in summer.
The only downside of Rebecca’s job is the mucking out!
Matilda and Piggy are also so clever they even have their own Facebook page but they have stayed off other social media to avoid the online trolls. They can be found at Piggy and Matilda Colne Valley Garden Centre Pigs.