Odd Man Inn (OMI), a “refuge for animals out of options,” was first incorporated in Washington state, but this year, they acquired 93-acres of land in Jamestown, Tennessee—and with it, guardianship of 160 pigs. Now, they’re in the process of moving their operations to Tennessee and learning who lives on the property and what type of care they need.

You can read the full story of our joint Sanctuary clinic week here. Below is an excerpt from our interview with Wendy Smith, Co-Founder and Director at Odd Man Inn (OMI).

Our Washington property was home to a little over 100 animals of ten different species, including 38 pigs, two steers, and a mishmash of sheep, goats, ducks, chickens, pigeons, and turtles. We have one dog named Roswell (who was the start of this entire Odd Man Inn production). They are all in the process of moving to TN with us in shifts based on vet availability for exams and transportation.

We’ve also found safe forever homes for nearly 400 farm animals in our Pacific Northwest community with our adoption program in the last five years. We’ve moved a lot of animals to safety through our small place here in Washington!

The Tennessee property we acquired has approximately 160 mostly large pigs and it had nearly 20 feral cats that are now being safely vetted and altered in foster homes.

We’re actively moving animals from WA to TN in hopes we can finish the move before winter. We have constructed houses and fenced yards for the WA pigs to join the TN herd slowly––there’s no rush for them. The move is stressful for the WA animals, and we’ll give them plenty of time to acclimate to their new home without the stress of joining the Tennessee herd right away.

The TN property only had pigs, but we are a multi-species organization. Odd Man Inn currently has cows, goats, sheep, and a variety of different birds who are all making the move to the new space. We have one big Cornish rooster, Bixby, who loves our special needs pigs in WA. We have two three-legged pigs named Eppah and Melvin. Bixby will stay with his little herd of pig friends when it’s his turn to move to TN.

Several of the pigs on the property in TN are former wild ferals. The alpha of the entire herd is a feral female named Charity. In the huge variety of breeds we now have under our care, the ferals feel like the most rare to me. Pigs are hunted and destroyed in the wild as pests, and there are very few laws as to how and when that can be done. Having a few ferals safely in our care is maybe one of the most rare and interesting of all our animal friends.

There is no difference whatsoever in the emotional capacity or the intelligence of a “small” pig versus a “farm” pig or a “feral” pig. They’re unique and smart and equally as deserving of our protection and respect. Regardless of whether or not we understand their language or their social structures, those things DO exist in their species, and they value life and family and comfort in a very similar fashion to humans.

YES. I’m grateful that we have had such a beautiful outpouring of love and support for this undertaking, which is evidence of the growth of the farm sanctuary movement in the general public. If it weren’t for that support over the last 5 years, we would never have had the confidence to take on this monumental task!

Learn more about Odd Man Inn by visiting our website or following on social media. Contribute to medical expenses for the animals by joining us on Patreon.

Connection is the key element. Helping folks connect to the animals is absolutely essential. Here’s my personal example:

As a kid, I recall seeing my mom pull a whole chicken out of the oven for dinner. I can clearly recall as a 6-year-old thinking, “That looks like a chicken.” I was trying to connect the dots with my young brain, but I didn’t have the right resources to help me.

Odd Man Inn is here to help folks connect with animals not only as a direct pushback to animal agriculture and consumption, but also because having compassion and empathy for ALL living beings is an upward spiral for our own species. Facilitating a connection with animals in our own organization is essential to sustain our growth, but it’s also a critical need for the bigger picture of humankind.

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To read about the clinic week, check out, We’re All “Inn” This Together: A Sanctuary Clinic Week with 70 Pigs at Odd Man Inn.