Flavia and her sister Phryne spent their entire lives together, though they weren’t always able to see each other. Adopted by a well-meaning owner as babies, they lived as indoor pets until they grew bigger than their adopter had expected. Like so many pigs, they had been sold as “mini,” “micro,” or “teacup,” pigs, with their breeder claiming that they would remain small. Their owner did her best to accommodate them with limited resources and bought them a shed to live in, but when they squabbled, as pigs sometimes do, she had a barrier built to keep them separate. Flavia had access to a door; Phryne did not. Phryne spent her whole seven years of life never getting a chance to be outside, to feel the sun on her face, or to breathe fresh, clean air.
When their owner died unexpectedly, kind friends reached out to us to place these girls. When we arrived to pick them up, we found Phryne living in a deep pile of her own waste, and their interim “caretaker” began kicking her to get her to leave the only home she’d ever known. These two spent their first night with us in a deep bed of straw in the trailer we transported them in, snuggled as close together as they could get, far too afraid to step outside. The next morning they entered their new hut together, and for two weeks Phryne would not put a hoof outside. Flavia spent many weeks challenging us. sneaking up to goose us, and trying to figure out who was in charge in this new life she’d found herself in. A year and a half after arriving at Darrowby, Flavia and Phryne still did everything together; they slept in a hut that no one else was allowed to enter, and they sunbathed and mudbathed side by side.
In April of 2022, Phryne stopped being able to walk overnight. We kept her in a stall in the new barn with Flavia, who slept right by her side, but we had to take Phryne to Tufts when she failed to improve. After a few days of trying everything possible, the compassionate and dedicated vets at Tufts told us it was time to let her go. We made the 3.5 hour journey to be with her when she left her body, and the night before we had Flavia sleep with a towel that we brought Phryne for comfort.
Flavia took a full year to grieve her sister’s death. She refused to share a sleeping space with anyone, even in the coldest of winter. She was withdrawn and spent most of her time sleeping. But this spring, The Empress started joining Flavia at bedtime. The Empress also lost her sister, Agatha, in the first year they were with us. These two surviving sisters shared something, and Flavia didn’t chase The Empress away. Once The Empress opened the door for Flavia to know she was ready to re-enter life in the big family, Flavia never slept alone again. Sometimes Petunia snuggles next to her. Sometimes Viola sleeps close. But usually it’s The Empress, who came here so ready to show everyone she was boss, and who now builds bridges and makes sure that every member of her family is cared for and belongs.
