When we received a call from the Bowen Park Barnyard about a pig in their care needing some dental work we were hesitant to be involved although we usually volunteer for these events. We normally do not take care of farm animals but the more we thought of it the more of a fun challenge it seemed to be.
The tusks of the boar needed to be cut back because they had overgrown and had circled around and were piercing his cheeks. While we were there they also asked if we could trim the feet of the female pig in their care.
Mustering up a staff of five people we headed out expecting a big battle rodeo style. We managed to corner the boar and he was surprisingly docile as we slipped a gigli wire (saw-like wire) around his tusks and sawed back and forth until they dropped off. In no time we were done and we moved on to the female feeling quite proud of ourselves.
I thought the next job would be easy but the female pig was not wanting to have anything to do with it and she was a lot larger. Holding a large pig is like holding a slippery football and despite our best efforts she continually slipped from our grasp screaming like a banshee as she did. Finally we managed to corner her and as Randy and Trish squeezed her into a corner I lifted one foot at a time to trim the hooves back.
We will have to return again to trim more from her feet but as the sweat poured from us we couldn't help but giggle at the work out and upper hand that pig had given us - next time we bring more recruits.
