Two micropigs have been rescued after a motorist found them tied by their necks to a lamp post by the side of the road.
The distressed animals had been tied up using a baling twine in New Romney in Kent, England. Their rescuer, who was on his way home from work, noticed the animals needed saving and took them home.
The man brought the two pigs back to his house, where he kept them overnight, before handing them over to The Lord Whiskey Sanctuary in Stelling Minnis, near Canterbury, where staff believed the pair were micropigs. It is the first time the charity has taken in micropigs.
Margaret Todd, from the sanctuary, said the abandonment was “dreadful”. She thought the pigs had been kept as pets and someone underestimated “how big they can get”.
Ms Todd also said they could have been dumped due to money problems – a trend which has been seen by animal charities across the South East. Rescue centers are seeing more animals coming into their care despite being full or close to capacity.
“People can’t afford to keep them and people don’t know what to do,” she added.
The pigs – who have now been named Dawnie & Dixie – have found a new home subject to a satisfactory home check.
