VIDEO: 30st pig Twiglet enjoys new life after Dinnington flat rescue

THIRTY-stone pig Twiglet spent two years living in an upstairs flat gorging on pizza with her trotters up — but after her dramatic rescue she is enjoying a new life in the countryside.
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Twiglet

She was bought as a pet micro-pig but grew into a 5ft-long beast who was house trained to use a cat litter tray and ate Chinese takeaways.

And Twiglet had never put a hoof into the great outdoors until she was rescued from her Dinnington flat after her owner died.

A joint operation was needed to free the Vietnamese pot-bellied pig from the first-floor flat above a shop on Laughton Road.

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Firefighters, RSPCA inspectors and Green Vets successfully removed the porker after sedating her and hoisting her out in a sling.

RSPCA inspector Kirsty Ludlam said: “We knew it was going to be impossible to get Twiglet out of the flat without some help.

“She was sedated by the vet so firefighters could safely carry her down the stairs from the back of the flat using a special sling.”

A South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue spokesman said: “This just goes to show the wide variety of incidents we now attend — way more than just fires.”

The RSPCA and fire service agreed Twiglet’s rescue (pictured, below) was one of the most unique incidents they had attended.

And Twiglet is now enjoying her new life in the countryside at Peppers Field Equine & Poultry Rehabilitation Centre in Letwell.

Centre trustee Chloe Watson said: “We gave Twiglet a home after Thornberry Animal Sanctuary, who was initially going to care for her, found they didn’t have enough space.

“She’s a fully grown, two-year-old pig and the first we have had at our centre as we normally care for ponies and poultry.

“She was very quiet to start with and couldn’t walk well as she had never been outside before and got an infection.”

After being given some oinkment, Twiglet is much happier and getting better every day.

But old habits die hard and staff had to slowly wean Twiglet off her junk food diet as she struggled to adapt to animal food, so the occasional pizza pig out was allowed.

And there are two other home comforts that she hasn’t left behind — her mattress and radio!

Five weeks on from her rescue, Twiglet the friendly pig has settled in well and loves a good belly rub.

And the pounds are dropping off — she has now lost around one-and-a-half stone after swapping pizza for porridge. She still enjoys the odd scone but is being introduced to fruit and veg, with grapes being her new favourite.

The animal rehab centre is now trying to train Twiglet out of human habits such as listening to the radio — which mimics the TV noise she was used to in her flat — and doing away with her mattress and duvet.

 

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