NBC 7’s Joe Little tracked down some of the survivors who are living quite well now.
They spend their days rolling around in mud or napping under a small wooden table. Such is the life of three pigs named Wendi, Mesa, and Grande at the Little Bitty Animal Sanctuary in Ranchita, just northeast of Santa Ysabel.
The three pigs were rescued in October of 2022 by Ryan Valverde and his wife. Someone reportedly dumped more than 100 pigs alongside a rural roadway on the Mesa Grande Reservation.
“Every time when we were out here and we get to spend some time with them and see them, it's a good feeling,” smiled Valverde as he tossed another apple to one of the pigs.
Related stories
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
NBC 7 spoke with Valverde at the 50-acre nonprofit sanctuary shortly after they arrived. Mother pig Wendi huddled with her two piglets inside the safe confines of a barn.
“Shoot, they were tiny piglets,” shrugged Valverde. “I would say maybe a couple pounds at most. Now I'd say they're probably 50, 60 pounds.”
Wendi, Mesa, and Grande (named after the reservation where they were found) are the lucky ones. NBC 7 found dozens of pigs lining the East County roadway.
“If someone went through the process of dumping them off, then they probably weren't in the best living conditions leading up to that,” Valverde explained.
San Diego County officials never found out who dumped the pigs. Valverde said he know many died. He also said about 50 were saved by various rescues. He said some joined a petting zoo in Julian.
“You know, I think there's still kind of rumors that there may be one or two kind of running around,” he smiled.
Valverde said the three pigs helped the Little Bitty Animal Sanctuary care for the roughly 100 other animals on the ranch. Their appearance on NBC 7 generated donations that provided food and veterinarian care, according to Valverde.
“I think there are so many positives that kind of take away from that negative situation," Valverde said.
