How the little piggy who couldn't walk was saved from the chop

Posted by Anonymous at Friday, March 19, 2010 | 0 comments

He was definitely the runt of the litter.

Crippled from birth, the little piglet squealed in frustration as he tried - and failed - to keep up with his agile brothers and sisters.

The farmer who tended to the herd was about to put the animal out of his misery but decided at the last moment to spare him.

Miraculously, within weeks, the piglet had made a complete recovery and was able to rejoin the rest of the litter.
Amanda Kopp, whose in-laws own the farm, witnessed the remarkable turnaround.
She described how the piglet's mother refused to give up on her newborn, tenderly rubbing her nose against his and nudging him to try again.
Every time the piglet's hind legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground she encouraged him to try again - at one stage even picking him up in her mouth and placing him on his feet.
Mrs Kopp said the farmer was planning to put the animal down as it was struggling to fight its way past its 19 siblings to the food that was put out for them.
But instead he let a group of local youngsters tend to it.
The farm in Swaziland, Africa, provides a self-sustainable home for young orphaned children and helps them with their education.