FRANKLIN -- My story

Hi!  My name is Franklin.  I'm a potbellied pig and I'm about 8 months old.   I'm not sure exactly how old I am because my human mom rescued me when I was about 5 months old and we don't know when my real birthday is.   But in November we're going to celebrate my first birthday!

 The people I used to live with didn't like me, I guess.   They took me and left me by the side of the road in Chesapeake Beach, about a mile behind Beach Elementary School.   It was cold and raining, and I was shivering.   I was all alone and it got dark.   I was in the road and some kind people took me off of the road and put me in a pen.  It didn't have a roof on it, but it kept me from getting hit by a car.   They didn't know anything about little pigs, so they called the SPCA.   The SPCA lady called my new mom, Linda Kelley, and said there was a little pig that needed help.   I was shivering and very scared.  My Mom-to-be called Uncle Dan Williams and they came to get me in his van.   They brought treats, bananas, and food for me.   They put me in a crate in the van.  The crate was warm and dry and had food in it.   The engine frightened me.   They closed the door and we drove to my new home.   I didn't know anyone and was very scared.    I don't know why my old family threw me away.   I don't think I was a bad boy. 

 When the van stopped, the door opened and my Dad-to-be looked at me and said, "He's just little.  We can't put him in an outdoor pen because he's too small.   We need to bring him into the house.  They put me in my own room with my own crate with a mattress and nice warm blankies to snuggle in.   They gave me some potbellied pig food.  I was afraid to eat at first, but after I tried it I found it tasted pretty good.  I ate the whole bowlful.   I'm a member of the clean plate club!   I snuggled in my blankets and went to sleep. 

 The next day I met my new piggy sisters.   There are two big pigs (much bigger than I am) that live in the same house.   My oldest new sister is Precious, who is 4 1/2 years old.   She's a black pigger, and weighs about 170 pounds.  When she's not looking I try to bite her on her behind.   Mom makes me stop, and Precious tries to bite me back.  I have to work harder at getting along with her.

 My other piggy sister in the house is Gretchen.   Gretchen is 3 1/2 years old, and came from the Animal Shelter about 2 1/2 years ago.   She lived outside in a kennel and piggy house until a hurricane came.   Mom and Dad brought her inside and that's where she has lived ever since.   She's about 150 pounds.  We are good friends.   We go out in the yard and graze and hang out together.

 Outside are my other two pigger brother and sister.    They are Freddie and Flossie, who were caught running loose behind the Fox Run Shopping Center in December 1999, the week before Christmas.  Animal Control caught them and called mom, who said they needed a safe place to be.  They are probably litter mates, brother and sister.  They are black and white like me, but they are older than me at 2 1/2 years old.  Animal Control brought them to our house and they've been there ever since.   Mom told me that they were her Christmas gifts.   They have their own playhouse that they live in.   It's heated and air conditioned.  Heck, we live inside with heat and air conditioning, so I guess that's fair, right?

 So there are five of us, and we are now a family.   We are fed special potbellied pelleted pig food.  No table scraps or garbage for us!  We eat in the morning, have dinner at 5:00, and get oatmeal treats at bedtime.  Almost like room service.   Life's pretty good now.  

EPILOG

 On the dark evening of December 30,2001, a knock came at the Kelley’s door.   It was a young lady who announced that her pig had been stolen earlier in the year, and she understood Linda had him.   Linda’s heart fell – this girl wanted her baby boy!  After a terrible scare, the girl said she now had a large territorial dog, and just wanted to make sure “Porky” was alright.   She brought along baby pig pictures, and – sure enough – it was Franklin as a baby.   

 The story unfolded that she and her boyfriend had contacted a breeder in California and selected a little pig.  He was flown to Maryland and had been with them about a month.   One Thursday evening they put the piggy out on the low back deck, and ran to the store.  When they came back about 20 minutes later he was gone!  They searched and searched to no avail.   Linda found Franklin three days later, on a Sunday night.  It appears that someone had him for a couple of days, and then dumped him at a local farm.    And how did the girl know this?   Someone had left a note on her door, apparently to cleanse their conscience at the end of the year.  The note said the pig was at the farm up the road.   So the girl went to the farm, and the couple there told her who had her little pig.  So she came to the Kelley residence to make sure he was in good hands.  So, indeed, Franklin had been well cared for in his original home, and was not unwanted.

 Subsequent inquiries resulted in Linda identifying the California breeder and contacting her.  She was most helpful, and was able to provide pictures of Franklin’s parents, and more importantly, to establish his age.

 Franklin will be two years old on October 8, 2002.   Linda’s birthday is October 9.  Franklin and Linda will share their birthday celebrations in October!

 Franklin has appeared at Children’s Day on the Farm at Jefferson Patterson Park; The Calvert County Farm Tour in 2001 and 2002; Huntingtown Elementary School educational program; various children’s celebrations at local churches; Open Houses; Health Department Adult Day Care; a Kiss-a-Pig event; and the Potbellied Pig Congress in Pennsylvania.   He was featured in a Washington Post Magazine article on August 4, 2002, as well as in the Bay Times.

 Linda is considering getting Franklin an agent……..