Every day, fleets of trucks carry pigs to large-scale “finishing facilities,” where they’re fattened to market weight and then sent to slaughter—at a rate of more than 1 billion per year globally. These naturally curious and intelligent beings are crammed together and transported long distances through extreme temperatures, without food or water.

In our nearly 40 years of rescue work, we at Farm Sanctuary have helped many animals following jumps or falls from transport trucks. So when a concerned passerby in Michigan reported finding a small piglet in a truck stop parking lot, we knew that was likely what happened.

Though this experience must have been terrifying for Duncan, it ultimately saved his life.

Duncan pig’s human helper contacted Farm Sanctuary, and we leapt into action. We can’t always bring animals to our New York or California shelter, and in those cases, we turn to our network of trusted adopters. We quickly shared news of the piglet—whom we called Rupert at the time—on our Farm Animal Adoption Network (FAAN) Facebook group. 

FAAN serves as a crucial connector, making urgent animal needs visible to a nationwide community of sanctuaries and homes. Since its formation in 1986, this network has helped thousands of abused, neglected, and unwanted farm animals find loving homes.

Chicagoland Pig Rescue stepped in to care for Duncan until his adopter was found. They kept him safe and healthy, providing a loving foster home for several months and taking him to the veterinarian to test for common health issues that often afflict factory-farmed pigs. When Duncan tested positive for mycoplasma—a pathogen that causes pneumonia—the Chicagoland team extended his foster stay by a month, maintaining high biosecurity measures until he received a clean bill of health and was fully ready for adoption.

Meanwhile, one special family of adopters—sisters Katherine and Madison—came across our Facebook post about this lovable piglet in need. The sisters co-run a 45-acre refuge for farm animals in New York—home to Piglet, a fellow transport truck survivor around the same age as Duncan, and Dolores, an older pig who recently lost her daughter, Freida, to cancer. Knowing their home would be the perfect fit, Katherine and Madison applied right away to adopt Duncan. Soon, the wonderful team at Chicagoland Pig Rescue transported him to his forever home in New York.

Today, Duncan is happy and healthy, living a full life with his new family. This affectionate little guy loves spending time surrounded by his human caretakers, his brother, Piglet, and Dolores, who has taken on a parental role for the boys.

“Duncan and Piglet are absolutely inseparable,” Katherine told us. Dolores, who had never been alone before and was grieving the loss of her daughter, accepted both piglets immediately. She even shares her food with them—a moving act of generosity among pigs!

“Every day, he runs up to us and nudges us until we sit down cross-legged so he can curl up in our laps and fall asleep.” Soon he’ll outgrow their laps, but their bond will last a lifetime,” said Katherine. “We are so lucky to have them in our lives.”

Duncan’s rescue was a team effort by many compassionate individuals, from the passerby who stopped to help Duncan in Michigan; to his adopter, Katherine; and the entire staff at Chicagoland Pig Rescue. These connections are the result of the strength and reach of our Farm Animal Adoption Network (FAAN). 

Farm Sanctuary depends on the FAAN to provide loving homes for as many farm animals as possible. Every day, we receive requests to help animals in need all over the country. In 2023 and 2024, we received over 2,200 requests, representing more than 14,000 animals in need. These individuals are often survivors of animal agriculture. Some have been seized by authorities, abandoned, or surrendered by guardians who cannot provide them with care. Others have fallen or jumped from transport trucks, like Duncan appeared to have done. All are in need of safe homes dedicated to providing lifelong, individualized care.

If you have the time, space, and compassion to adopt a farm animal into a suitable home or sanctuary, consider joining our Farm Animal Adoption Network (FAAN).

Click here to find out whether joining FAAN is right for you, and how you can apply.