The stampede to the Rainbow Bridge is in full swing here! 
Today I had to sadly make the decision to let Iola go during a thorough vet check. She'd become very frail and was really struggling in the warmth of the last few days. Any further medication would not have significantly improved her quality or length of life.
'Big Iola' was one of the more memorable 'pigsonalities' of the Tribe with her impressive bum and expressive face, matched by her appetite with her commitment to those she loved coming a close second.
She'd already had quite a journey from an early pregnancy, being handed into a rescue in need of rescuing itself, then adopted as a companion to older Charlie to help him battling cancer repeatedly.
Mali Terfel Iola
After waiting in vain for several months for a free rescue space after his eventual death, then Lola (renamed Iola) came here in January 2015 and first joined 5 year old Terfel and 8 year old feisty Mali, who she loved to snuggle up at night. Sadly Iola's caring presence was not enough to keep Terfel from following the last of his beloved cataract wives, Mali, to the Rainbow Bridge in May.
Iola comforting Terfel
Waiting with Hafren for dinner to make it to their cage
After another round of Tribe dating, she and same aged Hafren hit it off and became my 'Two Fat Ladies' (names of a UK cooking series), bound by their mutual love of food and a competitive spirit in their very evenly matched relationship. They have spent the last 3 years together as a formidable pairing.
In 2016 they were lovingly looking after tiny stroke survivor Nimue during the last weeks of her life, which brought Iola's motherly instinct to the fore. Iola was devastated when her beloved little adoptive daughter Nimue died in a series of small strokes just a few weeks after her arrival here.
Last year Iola needed a spaying operation for her large ovarian cysts, which she thankfully recovered from well.
Later that summer they were joined for a while by first Gareth and then Tegwen/Teggy, who fell in love with each other. Teggy had the same attitude towards food (both sows having faced real starvation early in their lives), but won the race as to the biggest eater and had to be moved out when Iola started losing weight because of Teggy.
The Three Fat Ladies
Iola lived to 6 1/2 years old and leaves another very large hole in the Tribe room...
She is the third Tribe piggy to die in less than a fortnight.
With red pepper lipstick
Today I had to sadly make the decision to let Iola go during a thorough vet check. She'd become very frail and was really struggling in the warmth of the last few days. Any further medication would not have significantly improved her quality or length of life.
'Big Iola' was one of the more memorable 'pigsonalities' of the Tribe with her impressive bum and expressive face, matched by her appetite with her commitment to those she loved coming a close second.
She'd already had quite a journey from an early pregnancy, being handed into a rescue in need of rescuing itself, then adopted as a companion to older Charlie to help him battling cancer repeatedly.
Mali Terfel Iola
After waiting in vain for several months for a free rescue space after his eventual death, then Lola (renamed Iola) came here in January 2015 and first joined 5 year old Terfel and 8 year old feisty Mali, who she loved to snuggle up at night. Sadly Iola's caring presence was not enough to keep Terfel from following the last of his beloved cataract wives, Mali, to the Rainbow Bridge in May.
Iola comforting Terfel
Waiting with Hafren for dinner to make it to their cage
After another round of Tribe dating, she and same aged Hafren hit it off and became my 'Two Fat Ladies' (names of a UK cooking series), bound by their mutual love of food and a competitive spirit in their very evenly matched relationship. They have spent the last 3 years together as a formidable pairing.
In 2016 they were lovingly looking after tiny stroke survivor Nimue during the last weeks of her life, which brought Iola's motherly instinct to the fore. Iola was devastated when her beloved little adoptive daughter Nimue died in a series of small strokes just a few weeks after her arrival here.
Last year Iola needed a spaying operation for her large ovarian cysts, which she thankfully recovered from well.
Later that summer they were joined for a while by first Gareth and then Tegwen/Teggy, who fell in love with each other. Teggy had the same attitude towards food (both sows having faced real starvation early in their lives), but won the race as to the biggest eater and had to be moved out when Iola started losing weight because of Teggy.
The Three Fat Ladies
Iola lived to 6 1/2 years old and leaves another very large hole in the Tribe room...
She is the third Tribe piggy to die in less than a fortnight.
With red pepper lipstick
such a tough time you are having Wiebke. Massive hugs to you.
