Running a rescue sanctuary can be a tough gig, the joy that comes with saving lives and being surrounded by happy animals is precariously balanced with the pressure of the ongoing physical, emotional & financial commitment to keep them happy, safe, and well, forever.
Regular supporters help us to meet our daily running costs, but unfortunately we don’t YET have enough regular supporters to stay in the clear alongside the continuously inflating costs of, well…..everything!
That being said, we are committed to making donations as impactful as possible, which is why we are gearing up to reduce these daily running costs through a long-term sustainability action plan.
Coming into our 6th year, we are ready to get ahead and ensure the long-term sustainability of this sanctuary for pigs (3 ducks, a cheeky cockatoo and loads of wildlife).
The demand for what we do here is not going anywhere. Contented Pig Inn is Australia’s only rescue organisation dedicated solely to pigs. We love all animals, of course, but pigs are our heart and soul. The long misunderstood, horrendously farmed, hunted and slaughtered.
Our sanctuary provides safety for these piggies, but is also a place where people can get to know the animals first hand, really seeing them for who they are.
This year is about kicking off some of our long-term sustainability projects. It can be difficult to set them as a priority when day-to-day life at the sanctuary is so busy, but the sooner we start, the sooner we ALL see the benefits.
The Pig Inn food forest!
Each paddock we have built initially we are now extending. It will take some time as the fencing is 1.2m wire mesh and doesn’t come cheap. Once this is fully complete the ability to rotate paddocks so the pigs have constant access to grass for grazing, will be there. Each paddock will also have a small veggie garden where composted manure goes. This stuff is fantastic for growing food! Feed the pigs pumpkins, tomatoes or anything else, and the gardens virtually grow themselves!
We know it’s BORING talking about fencing, but fencing always comes first around here. Nothing is possible without a good fence! (see goats above!)
We have one large paddock we will turn into a food forest for the pigs – along with the area around our volunteer quarters. We estimate up to 300 trees can be planted in just these areas! The more food we can grow, the less we have to buy. We have 75 acres to work with!
* We have grown some impressive pumpkins in the past, but those potential tonnes of pumpkins disappeared overnight after a herd of about 30 wild goats decided they’d like pumpkin leaves for dinner. We joke now but at the time it was devastating!
Adorable but naughty wild goats. Pumpkins growing before goats.
Pumpkins during goats… Pumpkins after goats…
Water sustainability!
Water sustainability is always going to be a question mark in rural Australia. When water runs low we have to buy truckloads in at $500 each, which doesn’t last that long!
Pigs need fresh water, and so far we have relied on troughs, which are quite wasteful. The plan here is to transition from troughs to a “pig nipple” system, which are essentially little water bubblers for the piggies. We’d need to keep troughs for the pigs that don’t “get” the pig nipple system immediately, but they all figure it out eventually. This will potentially save us tens of thousands of litres of water which will save not just water, but money and time, and also allow water for the food gardens.
We would also like to get machinery in to build a few large dams. Then, it will be time to say goodbye to our water woes!
We MUST get ahead on our sustainability plans. It’s getting tough out there, and these pigs’ lives depend on us. We believe that long-term survival in these uncertain times is about working smarter. This isn’t a “quick fix”, it’s a long-term plan. And we need to get started – NOW.
Step 1. Complete our final paddock extension, dig 5 large dams and new pig watering system.
Can you help us save lives by making a donation towards the first step of our long-term sustainability projects?
Donate here