History of Lil Orphan Hammies
Founded in 1992 by Susan Parkinson as a rescue and shelter for unwanted potbellied pigs, Lil Orphan Hammies became a 503(c) nonprofit organization in 1994. Since then, Lil Orphan Hammies has taken in, arranged for the adoption of, or otherwise secured the rescue of over one thousand potbellied pigs. The shelter covers a five-acre area in the hills of Solvang, California, which has a mild climate that allows for the pigs to be out-of-doors most days of the year. With multiple dwellings and large fenced-in areas, the potbellies have more than sufficient room in which to move around and do the things that pigs like to do. While the main focus of Lil Orphan Hammies is the care of the pigs that reside there, arranging adoptions, educational outreach, and public service through media are also part of our mission. While the main success of Lil Orphan Hammies is most evident in the state and quality of life of the potbellies who live here, the organization has been publically recognized in many ways over the past seventeen years. Lil Orphan Hammies was featured in the PBS Nature documentary The Joy of Pigs, and has been used for animal documentaries both in and out of the United States including CNN, The Today Show, and for television programs in Japan and South Korea. It has been written about in several newspapers and magazines, including People, Potbellied Pig Magazine, The Los Angeles Daily News, The Los Angeles Times, and The Santa Barbara New Press. Susan Parkinson has served as an advisor on potbellied pigs to Animal Planet, and the shelter forms a basis for continued educational outreach. In 2009, photographer Rayner Marx produced Lying with Pigs, a photo essay on Lil Orphan Hammies in book form. Ms. Parkinson has received several awards for her work from such organizations as The Wildlife Rescue Foundation and The Humane Society of the United States. Lil Orphan Hammies needs your help. Your tax-deductible donation will provide food, needed medical care and shelters for these noble animals. For your convenience, click on "Donate or Sponsor." If you wish to mail your contribution in, please send it to: HOME | ABOUT US | PHOTO GALLERY | VIDEO CLIPS | CARE OF POTBELLIED PIGS |
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