Local nonprofit rescues abused dwarf pig

Sherry Lewis-Peterson did not set out to rescue an abused pig — but after taking one look at the skinny pig locked in a small kennel, she loaded the helpless animal into her van and did not think twice about it.

Lewis-Peterson, the director of the Columbia Falls nonprofit learning center called Farming for the Future Academy, was actually searching for a male to breed with the farm’s resident pig Cinnamon. However, when she saw the conditions this pig was being forced to endure, which was really just a result of the owner lacking knowledge regarding raising pigs, her focus became helping that creature.

The dwarf pig, lovingly named Petunia, was in bad shape. She was in a cramped kennel with a rubber floor and a litter pen with sawdust. Petunia was skinny; she only weighed about 25 pounds, and anemic due to not accessing the natural soil for nutrients.

“Nobody said that she needed to be rescued, nobody said you need to do this…” Lewis-Peterson said. “But when we saw the situation we decided that yeah, she needed some support and help.”

Rescuing abused animals is not a common practice for the school. The Farming for the Future Academy is an educational center that teaches K-12 students farming and agricultural life skills regardless of diverse abilities. The school is based at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls and offers a multigenerational approach to its curriculum by including veterans in the programs.

Lewis-Peterson said that as a nonprofit they do not have the funding to pay for medical expenses of neglected animals, which is why she does not often seek out rescuing animals like a sanctuary would. But Petunia was “just too adorable” to pass up, and Lewis-Peterson was determined to find a way to help.

After acquiring the pig, Lewis-Peterson knew the animal needed medical care. So as she began calling around to find a veterinarian in the area that would treat a pig, she found Brandon and K.C. Gates, a husband and wife duo that now run the Ponderosa Veterinary Hospital just north of Kalispell.

“I was calling around because with the nonprofit, we just don’t have the funding to cover something like this,” Lewis-Peterson said. “My last resort was that we need to give her a good burial if that’s what we have to do.”

THE GATESES examined Petunia and found she needed pretty serious medical attention; the pig was suffering a vaginal prolapse. At first they tried a smaller surgery to repair the issue, but it wasn’t a long-term solution. To have any kind of quality of life, Petunia needed to be spayed, which is a major medical procedure.

Nevertheless the couple were set on helping Petunia, no matter the cost. Without the surgery petunia did not stand much of a chance.

“Sherry was looking at euthanizing her if she couldn’t get it fixed, so there was not a lot of hope for her without the surgery,” K.C. Gates said.

The couple donated their time and looked to the Ponderosa Veterinary Hospital’s social channels to raise funds to cover the cost of medicine and materials for the surgery. They received some donations, but not enough to cover the full cost and are hopeful additional supportive donors will come forward.

“I could not ask for better care than what they have been doing for us and the pig,” Lewis-Peterson said.

“She’s adorable,” K.C. Gates said with a laugh. “All of our staff is used to dogs and cats, so when we had a pig here everyone was just crazy for her. She’s a perfect therapy animal because she just makes everyone smile.

“And I really think that Sherry’s nonprofit is such a great cause that she’s serving, and so I think Petunia will be a great addition to it,” she added.

Petunia had a successful surgery last week and is now home on the farm recovering well. She is eating her favorite, snap peas, and snorting in delight with a whole new life ahead of her as a potential therapy animal. The dwarf pig will soon be bouncing around the courtyard at the Veterans Home making everyone smile just a little bit more.

Lewis-Peterson explained that in addition to the animals playing a vital role in many of the academy’s learning programs, they also make a difference in the lives of the veterans living there. She takes rabbits and mini goats over to the home as well as the pig named Cinnamon, a donkey, llama and a pair of Merino sheep.

Even during the current closure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at the Veterans Home, Lewis-Peterson found a way to set up some fencing and bring over the smaller animals to hang out outside the residents’ windows. It’s just a simple way to promote happiness and hope during a pretty lonely time. When Petunia is completely healed she will also venture over to the windows of the veterans and spread some of her joy.

Despite all of the pig’s medical issues and history of neglect, Petunia is always squealing and galloping around in delight.

“After all she’s been through and what’s been done to her, she’s just a happy little pig,” Lewis-Peterson said about her new therapy animal. “We’re invested in her now. And she’s just so cute. You wouldn’t think that a pig would be that cute, but she is adorable.”

Reporter Whitney England may be reached at 758-4419 or wengland@dailyinterlake.com