Have You Thanked A Pig Today?

My name is Dennis. Most of you know me. Either that or like all humans you have a bad memory. Us pigs, though, we never forget. (No, that saying didn’t start with elephants. They stole it from us.)

Anyway, the reason I’m writing this post is to provide a gentle reminder that all of you should take a minute out of your day and thank a pig. Yes, you heard me right. You should thank a pig. For what, you say?

 Let Me Count The Reasons

There aren‘t many animals that do for humans what we pigs do. I don‘t like talking about this particular subject, but to start off with there‘s the whole food business—you know, pork, bacon, ham, sausage. I‘m sure you remember now, but I don‘t blame you for letting it slip your mind. After all, it‘s not like it‘s your life at stake. Let‘s forget about that aspect, though, and move on to other things.

There‘s an old saying butchers had about how much they used of a pig. “Everything but the squeal” they said. And they were pretty much on target.

– Pig hair is used for paint brushes, upholstery, and many other things.
– What would the NFL do without pigskin?
– Pig bones and skin are used for glue, shoes, gloves, and other garments.
– Some companies make buttons and bone china.
– They use other parts for wax, insecticides, crayons, cosmetics, soaps, shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, and dozens of other items.
– Pig parts are used in more than 3 dozen drugs and pharmaceuticals.
– Pigs are a primary source of insulin for diabetics.
– Pig heart valves are implanted in humans.
– Pig parts are used for human corneas.
– Burn victims can thank a pig for speedy recovery and skin grafting; in fact, a 10-year-old boy in Zigong, China, is alive today after getting pig skin grafted onto more than 70% of his body.
– Many people with hemophilia are alive because pig blood worked when human blood didn‘t.
– And now, with new scientific breakthroughs, pigs are being genetically engineered to speed up the transplant process to allow many other organs to be transplanted into humans. On the horizon is the potential to solve the transplant problems for hearts, kidneys, lungs, and livers.
– Recently scientists have created a genetically modified pig that can develop atherosclerosis, which should make an invaluable resource for heart-disease research.

Pigs are so versatile that there are more than 180 products that are made from a pig. Here‘s a link to an article that explains the details.

Dennis at 6 weeks

Bottom Line

I know what you humans think. You think we‘re dirty, and stinky, and hard-headed. You get upset because we roam through your woods and dig up a few roots and make holes in the ground. But before you get too upset, try to remember this article, and think about all the things we do for you. After all, what are a few holes in the ground compared to the sacrifices we make?

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Dennis is a wild boar living on Giacomo and Mikki‘s sanctuary. He was rescued as a baby and lives his life free.

Filed under: Animal Sanctuary, Pigs Who Write, Uncategorized by Giacomo