Read Honey Bear's Story ^{(In Memoriam)}

Honey Bear was found running down the street, malnourished, underweight, wounded, and clearly escaping something horrid. He was picked up by animal control and healed. Once he was ready to be released, we were asked to take him. We will never forget the look of pure joy on his face when he came home to The Gentle Barn and saw his pool and soft hay bed for the first time. Honey Bear was food-obsessed, convinced that his next meal would not come because of being previously starved. But within that first year, Honey Bear saw that he would always have meals served full and on time at The Gentle Barn. Honey Bear made friends with our other pigs, even falling in love with our female pig, Menorah, and raising six step kids, whom he adored. He splashed in his pool, napped in his very own room, ate organic fruits and veggies, received belly rubs each day, was tucked into bed each night with blankets, pillows, and kisses, and had a huge purpose of showing the world the personality, intelligence, and magic of pigs.

Pigs are genetically engineered to get very big, very fast, so they can be slaughtered as babies. When we save them, by the time they are fully grown, they are abnormally huge and have mobility or respiratory issues. Honey Bear was 1,000 pounds so when we took him in, we had no idea how long he would be with us but knew we would love him as much as we could, for as long as we could. We are not sure how old Honey Bear was when we rescued him, so we are not sure exactly how old he was when he passed, but we are guesstimating about 10-12 years old. In the end, Honey Bear stopped being able to sit up, stand, or walk because of his massive size.

Honey Bear's last day was fit for a king! We got vegan ice cream, cookies, cupcakes, birthday cakes, watermelon, bananas, strawberries, apples, pears, and peanut butter sandwiches and fed him by hand as he lay in his room, on a soft hay bed, surrounded by everyone who loved him. We got the massage therapist to come and give him a massage for an hour, which he loved! And because his birthday was only a few days away, we sang him happy birthday all throughout the day. After that feast and party, Honey Bear fell asleep in his bed, tucked in like always with his blanket and a smile on his face. While I sang to him, and while he snored contentedly, we helped him gently out of his body. He left easily, peacefully, and grateful.