Pig / animal welfare

brynne

I'm slightly embarrassed to be posting about animal welfare concerns. Until quite recently, I'd lived in London all my adult life and therefore know practically nothing about the ways of the countryside, so please forgive my ignorance.

My concern is about a well-intentioned but rather crazy old man who takes on all sorts of animals, despite having little money (save his pension) and no land to keep them on. He relies on people's good will and handouts (and occasionally helping himself to water from someone's garden tap) to feed and keep them. He hasn't really got a clue as to what or how much food they need, so they are all under-nourished, and he won't be told that what he is doing is essentially cruel. Until last week, he had been keeping two ponies, two donkeys and a pig in a small (very small) dispensary building and yard that belongs to our neighbour, whose road we share.

The ponies and donkeys have now been turned out to graze in a small field adjacent to our garden. They are thin, but they seem happy enough for now. However, I am really worried about the pig. The old man had told me about the pig, but I'd never seen it. Since the ponies and donkeys had gone, the dispensary building seemed deserted so, out of curiosity, I climbed over the locked gate to have a look.

I don't know anything about keeping pigs but I feel sure that the conditions this pig is being kept in are not right. He (or she) is in a small dark shed with no access to the outside and no company. The old man does not live particularly nearby, but comes each morning to top up the buckets of pellets and water. May be I'm just being a namby-pamby townie but, to me, the pig looked miserable. My understanding is that pigs are intelligent and curious creatures. If that's the case, this one seems to be losing the will to live. He barely lifted his head when I called to him.

Please will someone tell me if the conditions I describe are considered normal or even legal? I am considering asking the vet to come by and take a look. Am I just being a busybody?

Kovu

Hi brynne, welcome to Farming & Forestry. Unfortunately we are not allowed to give medical/veterinary advice. However there are different ways to get help if you feel it is necessary to have them checked over by a professional.

For starters you could contact http://www.ispca.ie/suspect_animal_cruelty/

If you believe an animal is being cruelly treated or neglected, please call 1890 515515

Monday to Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm in the strictest of confidence, or you may fill in a confidential online complaint form. Please use this form for reporting cruelty only.

The link their confidential online complaint form in case you want to keep your anonymity intact.

Outside of these hours, and you feel your call is an emergency please contact your local Garda Station

.Kovu.

P.S. I should also have added that most counties in Ireland have 'County Veterinary Inspectors' which assess animal welfare issues. I am sure any phone call to a local vet in your area will let you know the nearest CVI to your home and will help you with his/her contact details.