Rescue pig Snortie inspires work of heart
SNORTIE, a little pig from the Western Cape, has gone from being a neglected animal to a muse for a grant art installation in the UK.
Local artist Marius Jansen van Vuuren collaborated with UK artist Alex Rinsler to build a giant piglet installation that was commissioned to mark the Chinese New Year.
Snortie was rescued from a township piggery and she is currently living at the Greyton Animal Farm Sanctuary.
The sanctuary’s founder, Nicola Vernon, said when she was found, Snortie was lying on her tummy in a filthy pen full of rusted roof sheeting, wire and rubbish.
“She was all alone. Her back legs were splayed out on either side of her body. She looked up as Toni Brockhoven, head of Beauty without Cruelty South Africa, reached out and gently picked her up. The little pig snorted in Toni’s ear and immediately became Snortie. Toni had negotiated with the farmer of the backyard piggery in Cape Town to release the pig into her care and she brought her to Greyton Farm Animal Sanctuary.”
Vernon said Snortie was born with her back legs not working and they were in the process of getting her a wheelchair, with proceeds made from the art installation in Manchester.
“Many people came forward from all over the world to offer help and we have managed to raise the money needed to buy her a custom-built wheelchair, so that she can run around the sanctuary with the other pigs and lead a near normal life,” Vernon said.
She said it was hard to believe how friendly and affectionate Snortie was after the neglect she had faced.
“Had the farmer tied her back legs together shortly after birth, she would have been able to walk, but this didn’t happen, leaving her paralysed. We took Snortie to the vet the next day for X-rays and her skeletal system was found to be intact, although she had compressed vertebrae from arching her spine to pull herself forward with her front legs. We gently tied the back legs together with soft, wide elastic and then thought about therapy.”
She said Snortie was doing well on the farm and had initially been taken in by another pig, Bella Boo, who had since died after an illness.
“Snortie’s grief was plain to see. After a week she started to perk up. We (introduced her to) yet another formerly obese pig, also called Bella, who lives with her friend Ollie, a black pot-bellied pig. She now lives with them, cuddling up to Bella at night.”
Jansen van Vuuren said the installation is 6m high and consists of two tons of steel, with its skin made up of 200m² of cotton. It took about two weeks to make.
“I specifically wanted to work with a rescued piglet because I am a vegan and felt this would help in bringing assistance to the plight of rescued animals. This project is very close to my heart.”
To donate to the sanctuary or Snortie’s care, contact Nicola on 082 558 7752 or email nicola@greytonfarmanimalsanctuary.com Donations can be made to Greyton Farm Animal Sanctuary, FNB Caledon 200212, Cheque Account 62524403376.