For Jane & Sebastian, it was love at first sight when they first met in 2011, and now—nearly nine years later—they’re still snuggle buddies for life.

The summer of 2011 brought two very determined piglets to our New York shelter. These tiny animals were born into a world whose prevailing forces, whether human or natural, thoughtlessly extinguish the lives of millions like them every year. Sebastian and Jane could have become just a couple more statistics subsumed in that great number. But a combination of luck, the kindness of strangers, and their own tenacity brought them instead to a world apart, where every animal is recognized, protected and loved.

Sebastian is a pig of remarkably good instincts. After escaping a heritage farm in Pennsylvania—likely while being moved from a farrowing facility to a nursery barn—the fugitive piglet sought shelter under a porch. That porch, it just so happened, belonged to a Farm Sanctuary member! When the member contacted us to ask if we would take in the runaway, we rushed out that very night to pick him up and bring him to our New York shelter. A Hampshire pig, Sebastian would probably have been slaughtered for meat at just six months of age had he not made his dash for freedom.

A few months later, Jane came to us after surviving a horrible flood. Farm animals tend to comprise the largest population of victims during natural disasters, but their suffering and peril are typically ignored. As torrential rains buffeted the Northeast, a woman near the flooded town of Wellsburg, NY spotted a tiny piglet—who had somehow survived a trip down a swift, rain-swollen creek—running through her backyard and struggling up the bank to dry land. The woman, a wildlife rehabber of 20 years, caught the shivering baby, whose skin had turned purple from cold, and brought her indoors. Despite her granddaughter’s hopeful suggestion that they keep the survivor, Jane’s rescuer decided it would be best for the little pig to come to Farm Sanctuary instead.

Thanks to their loving rescuers, these pigs eventually healed and had the privilege of growing up together. They understand each other in ways no one else can; Sebastian has a tough reputation, but he’s a big softie for Jane. He and Jane often snuggle side by side, and their bond has only deepened with the passage of time.

This Valentine’s Day, we invite you to celebrate love in a new and meaningful way by sponsoring Jane and Sebastian or another of our featured farm animal valentines! Your one-time donation will help support your sponsored animals’ happy lives at sanctuary and make all of our rescue, education, and advocacy work possible. As a sponsor, you’ll receive a special digital valentine featuring your new animal friends, which can be printed for yourself or given as a Valentine’s Day gift to a compassionate loved one!