A family in the U.K. discovered a week-old piglet by the side of a road and took it to an animal rescue organization.
The piglet was wandering across the busy highway and was in poor health, with no indication of where he came from nor to whom he belonged.
As Vet Times reported, the newborn piglet has been named Benny by the family who took him to Brinsley Animal Rescue. The family had previously checked with local farms to see if any were missing a piglet, but none were.
When the animal rescue organization received Benny, they described him as “lifeless,” and they noticed something was wrong with his eyes.
“We placed Benny inside an incubator, provided hourly fluids throughout the night, and put him on antibiotics, but he was reluctant to take any milk,” Jon Beresford from Brinsley Animal Rescue said.
“Luckily, after a night of careful monitoring, Benny perked up and started to take bottled milk.”
They discovered that both of Benny’s eyes had ruptured and that he required surgery to remove them. Unfortunately, it meant he would be forever blind.
However, this piglet rescue story has a positive outcome: he is in good hands, and the surgery was successful. Benny is recovering at the Brinsley Animal Sanctuary while they search for a permanent home.
Animal rescues like this are uplifting and inspiring because they show how a single compassionate person can save a life. Without the family’s help, this tiny, blind piglet could have easily been hit by a car or died from starvation.
You don’t even need to be a wildlife official to rescue an animal struggling to survive. If you don’t feel safe performing a rescue yourself, you can call the local authorities or a local animal shelter for advice on how to proceed.
Stories like Benny’s motivate us to take local action to support biodiversity and thriving habitats for all the world’s creatures. You can also donate money to organizations involved in animal rescues and environmental conservation to further their missions if you’re unable to help in person.
“For such a young piglet to come through surgery and adapt so well shows what a strong little character he is,” said Vets for Pets owner Jonathan Hadley, who performed Benny’s surgery.
“Luckily, due to his age, once he finds his forever home, his lack of sight should not be an issue; he will live a very normal and happy life.”
“Through fate, whatever it is, we stopped and we rescued Benny,” said Simon Hill, who found the piglet. “I could not wish for a better outcome.”
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