Nigel

Born in 2010, Nigel found himself behind the bars of Cobb County Animal Control at the beginning of June in 2014. The workers at animal control, desperate to find a place for Nigel, had called Mandi and David Tidwell, who, fortunately, had room for him at their sanctuary. Nigel had been rescued from someone’s backyard, though it is unknown if he was a stray, or if the backyard had been his previous home. Regardless of his mysterious past, Nigel was a very friendly pig. He was amiable to the staff at animal control and seemed to get excited when they walked past his enclosure with a dog.

Indeed, Nigel seemed to have had a soft spot with dogs. When the Tidwells brought him to Hooves Marching for Mercy, he immediately perked up when he met their personal dog Snickers (the volunteer greeter of all animals who pass through the sanctuary). Nigel began making soft, excited breathing sounds, similar to a ‘ha-ha’ that a human might make, and proceeded to groom Snickers. For his part, Snickers was very patient with his new friend, and was more than willing to tolerate Nigel’s grooming and conversation.

The Tidwells knew that the perfect home for Nigel would be one with both a pig and a dog. So, after getting him a much-needed neuter, they set out to find him a loving home. Unfortunately, his first adopter lasted only a week. To her, Nigel was an impulse purchase for whom she was grossly underprepared. Fortunately, that set Nigel up for someone who would be a better fit. Sherri Boleyn and Keith Jones were just such a fit. Nigel hadn’t been back at HMFM for long when the two had discovered Nigel on the Hooves Marching for Mercy website and they were dying to know more about him. Sherri drove over three hours just to meet Nigel and it was well worth the drive. For Sherri and Nigel, it was love at first sight.

Within weeks, the Tidwells made the drive with Nigel to meet his new family. Sherri had an existing pig, Periwinkle, and the pair immediately hit it off. There was no scuffle during the initial meeting, Periwinkle knelt down, as if bowing to her new friend, and Nigel made a few grunts. They were fast friends. Though both pigs were spayed and neutered, Sherri had a mock wedding for them, and sent out adorable wedding announcements for the pair. In addition to his new conspecific friend, Periwinkle, there was also some puppy love waiting for Nigel. Sherri had a little pup whom Nigel was thrilled to meet. He is in heaven. Not only does he now have animal friends, he has two people who dote on him and love him to pieces. This is the Tidwells' wish for all their adoptable pigs; that they find loving homes and know only happiness.