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The animals
were found living crowded together in dilapidated, makeshift pens, composed
of rotting plywood floorboards, chicken wire, and damaged chain-link
fencing. Surrounded by trash and standing in feces, the animals were
initially diagnosed with multiple bacterial infections and many of the
female pigs were pregnant. All of Mr. Blackwell's animals were suffering
when rescuers found them, and apparently, he did not notice the condition
they were in.
In November of 2004, local Animal Control officers in Wildomar, CA decided to exterminate the animals on Mr. Blackwell's property. Thankfully, Tammie Sandon, who operates the nearby Sandon Shangril-La, Home of All Creatures Big and Small Foundation, learned of this case and intervened. With the help of Farm Sanctuary member Priscilla Gargalis, she convinced local officials to allow more time for volunteers to find foster care and placement for the animals.
By all
accounts, the survivors rescued in this case are thriving in their new
homes. Judy Woods, who runs the Pigs Peace Sanctuary in Washington,
says her new additions from the Wildomar rescue couldn't be happier.
She lovingly calls them the "California Girls" and enjoys
watching them savor their newfound freedom. They love to eat, of course,
and Judy reports that they get so excited at feeding time that they
run as a pack towards her when she brings out their grub. After what
they experienced at Blackie Blackwell's property, Pigs Peace must truly
seem like heaven on Earth. To all
who made the rescues of these precious animals possible, THANK YOU!
Hundreds of pigs, goats, chickens, ducks, and geese have now been given
a second chance at life because of you.
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In
the fall of 2004, authorities responded to a cruelty case in Southern
California involving nearly 500 animals, including hundreds of farm
animals, living in miserable conditions on one acre of property. In
two years, 74-year-old Blackie Blackwell's "collection" of
animals multiplied rapidly to include 30 goats, 20-30 geese, 100 ducks,
100 chickens, over 228 potbellied pigs, and several cats, dogs, parakeets,
and injured wild birds. Many of these animals are still in need of rescue!
In
this way, Mr. Blackwell is a textbook example of an animal "hoarder"
or "collector." Like most hoarders, he could not recognize
or refused to acknowledge that the animals were suffering. For more
information about hoarding, visit 
UPDATE!
05/12/06
In
all, 210 pot-bellied pigs have been adopted. With the help of our generous
members and supporters, who responded to appeals for assistance in this
case, Farm Sanctuary was able to cover the cost of transporting 81 of
the pigs to the Pigs Peace Sanctuary in Stanwood, Washington. Twelve
other pigs were transported to the Furry Tails Multi-Species Farm in
Washington and the remaining 117 found happy homes with the Li'l Orphan
Hammies Sanctuary in Solvang, California and in private homes in several
different states. Many of the other animals rescued from the Blackwell
property have found homes as well, including 16 goats, who were adopted
by Farm Sanctuary volunteers and a handful of sanctuaries in Colorado;
14 geese and 20 ducks, who found homes at sanctuaries in Arizona; 22
roosters, who were relocated to the Pig Dignity sanctuary in Washington;
and more than 100 chickens, some of whom found a home at Animal Place
in Vacaville, California.
HOMES
STILL NEEDED!
