Bring Dexter home

Help us bring Dexter home ❤️

We hate asking but we have 22 other little heartbeats that rely on us to keep going, and we need your support to continue our mission.

Dexters cremation will cost $325, but I'm still waiting for his necropsy bill and will post the final total once we have that. Every single dollar helps us bring Dexter home. 

With your donation, please leave a note for Dexter. We will write these on plaque in our barn to memorialize our sweet little lover boy. Please be sure to include your first name

Dexter's story:

This beautiful boy was a truck jumper* found on the side of the highway and was promptly brought to Purdue to get medical treatment (Thank you Chicagoland Pig Rescue). He had roadrash and a fractured leg but was otherwise in good health and good spirits. He was a gentle soul right from the start. 

*Truck jumpers are those who are able to escape transport trucks heading to growing barns or slaughter houses. These trucks are traveling upwards of 60-70mph and most brave piglets don't stand a chance.

We named him Dexter before we even met him, he was just always Dexter and it suited him so well. 

I waited for awhile at Purdue for them to bring him out. I remember thinking that he would be a bigger baby and I brought as large of a crate as I could fit in my car. To my surprise, the vet staff brought out this curious little wide-eyed month old piglet right in their arms. He was calm and curious, and everyone loved him so much.

When I put him in my car I'll never forget the look in his eyes, as if he was saying "hi mom, are we going home now?". He knew right away that he was heading to the safest place he could be. 

Dexter lived inside with us during his quarantine, and was the perfect mix of sweet, curious, and playful. His little oinks and grunts greeted us when we came home from work, and his sweet snores made our hearts melt when he went to bed. He loved to lay in our laps and always wanted to be as close to us as he could. 

When Dexter was old enough to move into the barn with the big kids, he was instantly in love with our pigs Hope and Duncan, and loved muscling up to Mellow the sheep to show how tough he was. He added to his growing list of vocals by starting to communicate with extra squeaks, and quickly owned the name "Mr. Squeakers". We had several small foster pigs throughout his first year in the barn, and he greeted each of them with squeaks, grunts, and hot pants (pig language for "I love you").

He never stopped wanting to lay in our laps.

Him and Hope grew up together, being only a few months apart, and there were inseparable. Dexter also loved cuddling his brother Duncan at night time, and when he was a baby he would crawl on top of Hope and Duncan to be as close and snuggled as he could. He was the creme of their own little piggy oreo! 

As Dexter grew up and matured, so did his zest for life and love for everyone he met. When we rescued Dottie in 2023, she was frightened and unsure where she was who to trust. Dexter waisted no time and quickly charmed her and made her feel like the most important piggy in the world. He introduced her to Hope and Duncan, and if there was ever a squabble Dexter was there to intervene by giving loving grunts right in everyones face to tell them that he loves them all too much for them to mean to eachother. Dexter's love for her was unmatched. 

During shearing for the sheep and hoof trims for Duncan and Dottie, Dexter would grunt so intensely that it sounded like big truck idling. He would be so concerned for his family members and was so sensitive to anything out of the ordinary. Driving our tractor passed his pasture was always a game for all of us. I would call to him, he would stop and freeze, then grunt grunt grunt and he zoomed around the yard. 

Summer months were filled with lots of rooting, laying in his wallow, and bringing sticks inside to decorate his room. 

Winter months were filled with snuggles, yummy warm snacks, and exploring in the snow on warmer days. 

Although Dexter was the lowest of his herd hierarchy, he never let that get him and always chose love and kindness every single day. We can all learn something from Dexter's life. 

What made Dexter unique:

🐽His unequivocal love and care for every single being he met. 

🐽His need to bring sticks, leaves, and blankets into his bedroom to decorate and feel comforted.

🐽He would carry his food bowl inside to finish his meals without being bothered.

🐽His unwavering sweetness. I could trust Dexter with anyone. 

🐽His need for connection. He was always snuggling with someone, or laying his head on us.

🐽His outstanding expressions and communication.

🐽His sillyness.

❤️His bigger-than-life presence that will forever leave a void in our lives.

Dexter was the heart of this sanctuary and touched so many lives, both in person and virtually. Those who were able to meet him truly know just how special he was in a way we could never put into words. His soulful eyes put everyone at ease, his silly grunts and pasture shenanigans made everyone laugh, and his love echoed through us all. We were blessed with his love for 1274 days, from a month old to 3.5 years old.

We'll all miss you so very much Dexter.

Our sweet little lover boy, our Dexter-Roons, our Mr. Squeakers. 

There will never be another like you.