Henry the pig loves his brother Horton more than anything in the world.
The two pigs were born at a pig farm in 2015, and they were severely neglected. The two barely had anything to eat, and they were so skinny their bones were visible. They were also covered in ticks and parasites.
When the brothers were a few months old, they were rescued by The Gentle Barn Sanctuary. This animal sanctuary takes in abused and neglected farm animals and gives them a great home.
Rescuers brought Henry and Horton to their sanctuary in Tennessee. At first, the pigs were scared of the rescuers, and they refused to go near them. The rescuers fed the pigs and pet them, reassuring them that they were okay. After a few weeks, the pigs began to trust their rescuers.
“We read books to them and sang them songs,” Ellie Laks, the founder of Gentle Barn, told The Dodo. “It was as if their eyes went from dull to bright. After a few weeks, they started rolling over to let us rub their bellies.”
The pigs’ first year at the sanctuary was great!
The pigs loved running around and playing, and they also enjoyed napping together in the sun. The pigs rarely left each other’s side, and it was clear that they shared an incredible bond.
When the pigs were a year old, Horton began having some health issues. Like many pigs raised for food, Horton gained too much weight too fast. His legs couldn’t support his weight, and he started having trouble walking.
Horton had surgery on his legs, and he took anti-inflammatory medicine. While he recovered, Horton spent most of his time resting in his and Henry’s barn.
Horton had a great nurse—his brother Henry!
Whenever Laks or her workers put out lunch for the pigs, Henry always made sure to bring Horton some food before he ate himself. The workers were touched when they saw this—it was amazing to see how much Henry loved his brother.
“[Henry] is very nurturing to him — to the point where he won’t let any other pigs near him. He knows that Horton is delicate and vulnerable,” Laks said.
Henry also made sure that Horton was comfortable throughout the day. Henry would go and check on him, and he would make sure that he had enough straw bedding. Henry also brought his brother lots of gifts, including flowers and fresh grass.
Unfortunately, Horton passed away in May 2018, when he was three years old. Pigs like Horton are bred to be slaughtered when they’re six months old, so it was amazing he lived so long. Still, everyone had Gentle Barn had a difficult time dealing with Horton’s passing, Henry especially.
Gentle Barn shared a touching video of Henry bringing flowers to his and Horton’s barn and laying them in the place where his brother used to sleep. Henry still feels Horton’s presence in the barn, and he’s still taking care of him.
It has now been about seven months since Horton passed away, and Henry is doing well. Henry still misses his brother, but he has made friends with the other pigs in the sanctuary. He also still loves hanging out with his caretakers.
Henry and Horton are a sweet pair who always took care of each other. If you want to see the touching video of Henry bringing his brother lunch, check it out below!
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