Lost Pig Waits On Side Of The Road For Someone To Help Her

Driving home from work, you might expect to see deer or squirrels hanging out on the side of the road - but probably not a potbellied pig.

A passerby was shocked to see a pig lying in a grassy patch on the side of the road in England, making no efforts to get up. He immediately contacted authorities, who were able to get in touch with Freshfields Animal Rescue.

Freshfields Animal Rescue

"As we were over an hour away, I rang a local vet to go check her out in case she had been hit by a car, but he reported back that she seemed uninjured," Lesley Tarleton of Freshfields Animal Rescue told The Dodo. "She had been there since morning and was not rescued until 6 p.m. that day, so she was very cold and hungry."

The poor pig was obviously lost, and had decided to take solace in the soft grass instead of trying to find her way. The rescue named her Mathilda, and went to collect her from a local market where authorities had transported her for safekeeping.

"Staff took a heavy duty dog ramp to help Mathilda climb into the rescue ambulance, and with the lure of a bowl of goodies, she walked in quite eagerly," Tarleton said.

Freshfields Animal Rescue

The rescue has not housed pigs in a couple of years, but luckily had an old pig paddock that they were able to revive for Mathilda. As soon as she was safe and warm in her temporary home, she began to relax a little more.

"When she arrived, she immediately began chomping away at the grass in her paddock," Tarleton said. "She appeared to be very friendly and used to humans so had clearly been a pet."

Freshfields Animal Rescue

The rescue has a lead on a potential home for Mathilda, and is going to check it out soon. In the meantime, she is very content spending time with staff, enjoying treats and having her back scratched.

"Mathilda is luckily unscathed from her experience and it is hoped she will have a long and happy life either at the shelter or in a suitable home," Tarleton said.

Freshfields Animal Rescue