I am married to a woman who would do anything for her mother; after all, this was the woman who pre-chewed her food for her as a young child (they couldn't afford the better cuts). Hubert, although cared for by my mother-in-law for the last year because she felt compelled to do so, would soon fall into disfavor for some inexplicable reason--or, I fell into disfavor and she took it out on him. In any event, my wife tried for a while to find Hubert a home. Being unsuccessful at it, she resorted to calling the Animal Control Department at North Bergen, NJ. I'm not sure of the details but she got the ACD to come for Hubert. She told me at the time that Hubert would be taken to a farm. It sounded suspicious so I said that I would follow the vehicle to wherever they were taking Hubert and assure myself that he would be taken care of and not used for target practice. It was a lie, they were coming to euthanize poor Hubert.
I sent off a volley of email to all eight of the Jimenez kids and one of them, my daughter Adrienne got involved immediately. She, along with her significant other, Sean Martinez, began to try to find Hubert a home. They soon communicated with Susan of PigPlacementNetwork.com who said that Hubert could be cared for while they found him a home. There were bureaucratic problems concerning Hubert's overgrown hooves and his weight problem. The vet seemed to think that Hubert's interests would best be served by putting him down. To shorten a very long story involving a cast of dozens of people, Susan did not give up and got the Animal Control Agent and the vet to turn Hubert over to her care. He's going there this Monday where a wound incurred in transport would be cared for and Hubert would be rehabilitated (put on a diet) in preparation for any possible adoption. Susan's organization has found homes for a thousand pigs so far.
Hubert was never my pig but I felt sorry for the way he got obese and fat folds over his eyes kept him blind. Even in his condition, he was always the assertive pig but never mean although to most humans he appeared mean--he wasn't, he was just being an assertive pig. I can't tell you the immense relief I felt when this woman from Pig Placement Network, this angel for the swines, came through for Hubert. The donations from our family are pouring into her charity as we speak. It costs 100 dollars a month to care for a pig like Hubert and we will do all we can to support him in his adventure at Ross Mill Farms.
Finally, I'd like to thank Adrienne Jimenez and Sean Martinez for coming to Hubert's aid. The Animal Control Agent, Jeffrey, whom I berated with outlandish insults and who took it all on the chin knowing I was irate out of frustration in having failed Hubert, is also thanked for not letting the bureaucracy get in the way. I also thank Dr. Carlos Triana for letting me bring Hubert his favorite food while he was in the vet's care.
