On this day in 2023, Blue arrived at his forever home at Farm Sanctuary in Southern California. After a rough start to life, he found not only safety and care, but also unconditional love and freedom to be exactly who he is: a rowdy, happy fellow whose hijinks keep his caregivers and fellow pigs on their toes.

Since coming to Farm Sanctuary, Blue has taken on a parental role amid his pig pack. He sticks close to his best friends, mother-daughter pair Grace and Jodean, watching over them while the trio plays and explores. From his position atop the hierarchy, Blue provides them and the entire pack with leadership, structure, and protection. He sets good boundaries for his fellow pigs to follow and is quick to issue a correction when anyone acts out of line. Of course, Blue bends the rules a bit to allow for his own shenanigans.

Energetic and adventurous, Blue is always on the move—even when all the other pigs are asleep in the barn. Why turn in so soon when there’s more fun to be squeezed out of the day? Whether he’s powering through the pasture, wading in the water, or simply soaking up the sunshine, Blue’s zest for life is obvious in everything he does. He leaves no stone unturned—sometimes literally!

One of Blue’s favorite naughty activities is chewing on rocks that he finds around the sanctuary. This behavior is bad for Blue’s teeth, and accidentally swallowing rocks can cause tears or blockages. Luckily, Blue is highly motivated by edible food and treats, too. He loves playing with his treat ball during enrichment time, and he scarfs down his daily joint supplement inside a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. So, Blue’s caregivers use this information to quash his dangerous rock-chewing habit. When they catch him with a rock in his mouth, they spring into action and redirect him toward peanut butter or another safe, high-value treat. Still, Blue is persistent, and a few of his chosen stones can often be found stashed away at the bottom of each water trough.

Blue’s love of food has come in handy for his caregivers in other ways, too, like during his routine sunscreen applications. All of the resident pigs wear sunscreen, and pink pigs like Blue are particularly susceptible to sunburn, especially on their sensitive ears. But because Blue is not a fan of staying still while his caregivers apply his sun protection, they’ve had to get creative. They smear peanut butter—one of Blue’s favorite treats—on a nearby gate. Then, while Blue is busily licking up his snack, his caregivers apply sunscreen to the calm, distracted pig.

Antics and all, Blue is a joy to know. He is the epitome of being yourself and living every day to the fullest. He loves life and the people in it, eagerly following his caregivers around the sanctuary to see what fun shenanigans he can get up to next. Any chance he gets, he’ll plop over on his side to invite a belly rub, a reminder of how similar pigs are to dogs—and how they’re just as deserving of compassion.

At Farm Sanctuary, Blue certainly receives the kindness and autonomy that every pig deserves. But his life wasn’t always his own.

Blue was born into animal agriculture as part of a Future Farmers of America (FFA) program. Students in FFA are taught to raise animals for food, including feeding them and teaching them to walk for exhibitions and livestock auctions. After spending months with these animals, many students come to know them as individuals, creating a moral dilemma when these young guardians are expected to send the animals to slaughter as the programs end.

At just 9 months old, Blue was about to be sold for slaughter when the student who raised him intervened. Unable to bear the thought of this cheerful pig losing his life, the student asked their parents for help. They contacted Farm Sanctuary, and our rescue team brought Blue to our Los Angeles shelter, where he’s now lived happily for three years.

Blue will spend the rest of his life safe, cared for, and free to be himself. 

Each Farm Sanctuary resident is a survivor and an ambassador for the billions still suffering inside animal factories, farms that treat living beings like commodities. In this role, Blue is exceptional. He lives out loud as his full, fiery self, savoring every moment of freedom and autonomy, as if he’s making up for those who can’t. 

Blue’s powerful presence serves as a daily reminder of our purpose: to create a world where every animal enjoys that level of peace and freedom.