Special Bonds: Liz and Herc
/Special Bonds: Liz and Hercules
Liz joined the HEEFS family when April’s babies were about two and a half years old, and when Hercules, or ‘Herc’, as everyone calls him, had just returned from minor surgery at OVC and was not accepted back into his herd.
While this elementary school teacher was used to kids not getting along sometimes, she’d never before been around large farmed animals not getting along, and that was (rightly) a bit intimidated. It broke her heart to see Herc rejected by his herd*, but Liz took the time to watch and listen as Herc got settled into a new herd with Len and Bobbie. Through this process, Liz sensed that Herc needed some additional TLC to help him adjust, and she was only too happy help. “My first memory is a lasting one,” recalls Liz. “It was my very first piggy belly rub! I was so honoured that this magnificent being was interacting with me on such a personal level. He plopped right down and didn’t move until my arms got too tired to continue. His grunts of pleasure are forever engrained in my memory!” Liz has since learned that each pig makes their own particular sounds when being given a belly rub. Just ask any of the volunteers who provide much-appreciate piggy belly rubs - it’s one of the greatest perks of volunteering at HEEFS!
Liz credits Herc with helping her feel comfortable around large animals. “Being the gentle soul that he is, I have always felt safe with him. When I look him in the eye, I see him and connect with him as an individual. I see kindness and love and I see Herc for who he is, a truly affectionate, gentle, and goofy guy! And he’s so funny, too,” says Liz. “He makes us all laugh with his antics and is known as the blanket thief! I love watching him try to sneakily steal a blanket (or two) from someone else in his herd and it makes me laugh.”
Liz enjoys every minute she spends volunteering at HEEFS, and whether it’s feeding the residents, cleaning their stalls or helping with yard clean up, she’s always a little sad when her shift ends. “Although I hate for my shift to end,” says Liz, “I always enjoy spending a little quiet time with Herc before I go. Hearing his grunts of comfort and satisfaction, knowing that he is safe, warm, and loved beyond compare, fills my heart. It is the best way to end my shifts!”
*For more information on pigs and herd behavior, check out our article on how Sammy found his herd.
