Ginger

For the last 5 years, I have been helping take care of Ginger and her owner. Her owner has dementia and has a hard time taking care of Ginger and herself.

Ginger has arthritis, and on pigs, it’s crippling. I was treating her with medication daily and giving her arthritis shots every three weeks. Ginger was very aggressive at first and would bite me, but if I didn’t help her, she wouldn’t be able to walk.

I finally had Ginger walking, doing a lot better, and trusting me, but then she was moved outside. Ginger had known nothing but living inside and didn’t do well with it. With the owner having dementia, unfortunately Ginger was forgotten about.

I wasn’t aware that any of the changes had taken place. When I went back about a month later to check in, it was obvious Ginger had declined significantly and was in pain. I took Ginger to UGA Hospital immediately. When they weighed her, she had gone from 113 lbs. to 70 lbs. This was heartbreaking. She was nothing but bones and very malnourished.

Knowing there was nothing they could do at the last stage of arthritis, I asked if they could please give her the joint injections and medication, then I would take her home to our sanctuary and give her the best life I could with what little time she had left. I don’t give up easily. I fight for these pigs — I am their voice.

It took Ginger about a week, and now this girl is as happy as she can be. She lets me love her and give her medication shots. She still has trouble walking, but the difference in what she was in October compared to now is a miracle.