DOTTIE'S FIRST PIG RESCUE,
THE BONNIE AND CLYDE STORY!
PART 1

On Friday June 9, 2000 we had a message on our machine about two potbelly pigs running loose.  Basically the message said: Could we come get them? Otherwise we will have to shoot them! Well, you KNOW my husband and I were going to do everything we could to save those two little pigs.

So on the following Sunday we went over to check out the situation. Apparently these pigs have been around for about a year, or at least since fall, but now are becoming a "perceived" nuisance. Coming across the alfalfa field and getting into the flower beds. They are living in the woods, surrounded by about an acre of wild berry bushes. The woods are across a 16 acre alfalfa field. Looked real nice and like hog heaven to me. I still can't believe they survived one of our Clearwater Mountain Idaho winters, though it is a bit milder where these people live.

We sat and waited in the driveway of the house, on the edge of the field, which had been planted but had no alfalfa growing in it yet, just dirt and weeds. I finally spotted one in the bushes, but no one would come out. Richard finally got up and went scouting around the bushes.

After about 5-10 minutes I heard pig sounds and two pigs come running out on to the edge of the field. Little did I know that Richard had quietly come within about 10 feet of them, talking softly and then stepped on a wet log and fell on his butt!! No wonder those pigs came tearing out of there!! Must have sounded like a bear crashing through the woods. LOL!

I am sure glad I had the binoculars. The woods were quite a distance away across that field. I noticed that they were on the small size compared to my two potbelly's. We estimated one (the female) at about 100 lbs. and the male at about 40 lbs.

Now came the question " HOW THE HECK DO WE CATCH THEM?". We had never done this before. I have two large kennels, but just don't see how I will get them into them, since I can't sneak up on them in the woods. So I asked a few friends who have done some rescue work for their suggestions.

The first thing out of their mouths was build a pen, fence them off. I said no that won't work we are in the middle of a big open field, I can't build a pen. They also told me that the longer I have to do this the better. Go out and make friends with them. Start out by putting food in the place you would like to try and catch them. Cook something that will smell really yummy. Sit a distance away VERY QUITE and let them eat.

Well now that the pen idea wasn't going to work I set out to make friends with these two pigs. This was not a hard job, but it did get tiring. I went over to see the pigs at least once a day if not twice (a 40 mile round trip!). My first chance to go over was Tuesday night.

I was planning on sitting and waiting for them to come out of the woods, but they were in the field when I got there. I grabbed the microwave popcorn and headed out. The good news is that they didn't run. I threw them some popcorn and of course they were leery, but did come in closer. Well, I went back to the car and got my bag so I could have something to sit on, the ground was wet from the rain we had been getting. Plus the grapes I brought were in it.

I just plopped myself on the ground and fed them popcorn and grapes. They had to come in close for the popcorn as you can't throw it very well.

I discovered that it was a male and female and at the time I am guessing that she is pregnant, I just didn't know how far along. She is larger than him and her teats are hanging some. I got a few whiffs of him so I KNEW he was not fixed.

It was fun being with them and having them come in close at times for the food. Once or twice the male found himself under my foot trying to get some popcorn that dropped. I was sitting cross legged. I even touched him once with my finger on the ear. I just loved their big eyes looking at me. They were so beautiful.

They are on the thin side now that I have seen them close up. No bones showing, just sort of thin. The people whose property the pigs are on said that someone was feeding them during the winter. They are a little skittish when I throw the food, but then will come in close for it. I can't make any quick movements at all.

This morning, Wednesday,  they were WAY across the field along the edge of the woods. I took Cheerios, carrots and two bananas. They were a little skittish but followed me a little ways back into the field.

I got my bag of goodies again and sat down with them coming in close and wandering away at times. The little boy didn't care for the carrots at all. I will take the microwave popcorn and grapes back this evening. They seemed to like those the best.

I really just want to reach out and grab them but know better. I got some straw today from the feed store and will put some in one of the kennels and will take it back with me this evening. I am planning on leaving one kennel there with no door on it so they can get used to it.

Wednesday evening I took the kennel and put it in the middle of the field where there is a small patch of grass growing. I then headed for the woods as the pigs were nowhere to be found.

I went part way up one of their trails and started shaking the bag of popcorn and smacking my lips. After a few minutes I see the bushes in front of me start to move. I am like "I sure hope that is you and not something else up there moving around!." Well it was Bonnie. Yes, they have been named Bonnie and Clyde.

She poked her head out of the bushes looking at me. I backed up some leaving a trail of popcorn for her to follow. She came to a log but wouldn't cross it so I backed up some more. I decided on reinforcements and got the grapes too. She came across and would root around for the popcorn and grapes, but no Clyde.

I think we were alone for 10 to15 minutes before Clyde showed up. He wouldn't come down the trail that we were on and used another one to go out into the field. So it was just the two of us in the field while Bonnie was making sure she got every thing that I had thrown on the trail.

I wasn't able to lure them to the kennel so I left a few goodies around and in the kennel.  I did watch from a distance before I left. They went near the kennel, but would have nothing to do with it.

Thursday, I didn't get over till the evening and this was the first time there was some sun. They were over at the edge of the woods and went into the brush when I came towards them. I shook the bag of popcorn and called their names. Bonnie was the first one to poke her head out and come over to me.

I just sat down right there and started feeding them. I had some french fries this time.  Both of them to took a fry out of my hand. Then I would sit with my hands on my legs and Clyde thought that my fingers looked just like french fries and would try to take a bite. I learned quickly not to leave my fingers out.

I then moved us right next to the kennel and laid a few french fries on the edge of the kennel. It took awhile, but Clyde did eat them. They had not touched any of the food I had left in the kennel the day before. Bonnie continued to eat out of my hands.

Friday morning Richard went with me for the first time. When we pulled in the driveway they were at that end of the field grazing. I got out with the can of Cheerios and they followed me up to where the kennel was.

Once there I had Richard feeding them and calling their names. He even laid on the ground and had them coming up to him. We were sitting apart from each other with space for them to go in between us. Bonnie didn't seem to have a problem, but Clyde said no way.

We took some goats milk and put it in some old bowls that we had. Clyde wanted nothing to do with it, but Bonnie sure drank it up. They also liked the blueberry pancakes that I had made that morning. We didn't stay long as the sun was finally out and it was getting hot fast.

We made an attempt at catching them on Sunday with no luck. We took lots of food and some wine coolers in hopes of getting them drunk enough to grab and put in the kennels. What a joke that was. After 7 wine coolers each the only affect was they had to pee! Back to the drawing board.

Bonnie and Clyde Part 2

By Dottie Eggeman