Sweet Oscar, our friend

God's fingers touch'd him, and he slept. - Tennyson

Some very sad news as one of our pigs, Oscar Meyer passed away sometime last night. It looks like he went to sleep and just never woke up. He was found by Daria and Robin this morning in one of the pig houses, laying peacefully in the straw. He will be buried under the Mesquite trees at the ranch.

Oscar came to Shiloh last year after we were called by Lied Animal Shelter. They were going to euthanise him because "he was so ugly that they could not adopt him out". Oscar quickly became a favorite of everyone at the rescue. He loved to eat bananas out of your hand and would wait by the feedroom each morning for his special food.

Oscar was a gentle soul, although he did have a ferocious appearance. We do not know how old he was, but our vet suspected he was getting up there in years. Oscar will be badly missed by all of us. We have to try to be thankful that Shiloh was able to give him his final home where he knew love, freedom, peace, and friendship at the end of his life.

Sometimes, that is all we can do.

Rest in Peace sweet friend.

We celebrate his unique spirit in the following photos...

Who could forget him "playing" with the straw bales?

Pigging out on some donated tomatos...

Enjoying the mud pool...


Fighting with Pig Newton.