Jasper & Eloise are two potbelly pigs that were rescued from the Twist of Fate cruelty case back in July of 2022. Eloise is the all black pig with the pink spot on her nose above, and Jasper is the pink pig with the "coal-rimmed eyes".
Just like pigs Laurel & Hardy* (shared in an earlier update), not too much is known about Jasper & Eloise's backstory. Ashley DiFelice had rescued two pregnant pigs from the same hoarding case in May of 2020 named OJ and Pearlie Mae. OJ gave birth at TOF on July 20, 2020 and had seven babies. Pearlie Mae gave birth on August 17, 2020, also to 7 babies. It is believed that Jasper and Eloise are two of those fourteen babies, though it's not clear who their mother is.
The two mothers and any surviving baby siblings were adopted out to sanctuaries. Many of the animals were given new names at their new homes, but it doesn't look like Jasper and Eloise ever had names at Twist of Fate - as far as I can tell none of the 14 babies from either litter were ever named, or at least there were no posts or announcements with their names after they were born.
These two were found with several other pigs in a large field that was full of dead brush and dirt - the animals living there had literally eaten every single bit of vegetation available, and then after that had to eat the dead bodies of other animals in that field that they once knew in order to continue surviving.
The two 3 year old pigs were left without food, water, or human contact for a long time. Upon their rescue they were super thin, stunted, scared, and mentally broken. They were taken in by Abbott's Hill Farm & Rescue (@abbottshillfarm) in Newtown, Connecticut USA and were given immediate medical care. Once she was ready and at a healthy weight Eloise was spayed (Jasper had already been neutered), as legitimate sanctuaries and rescues do not breed their animals. (Besides - these two could be siblings, which is something that does not matter to a farmer where inbreeding is rampant and leads to all sorts of health issues for the animals).
Abbott Hill took it slow and helped the pigs gain weight. Eloise and Jasper were given their names by a friend of Abbott's named Kelly - she was getting married and in lieu of wedding gifts she donated to Abbott's Hill (what a beautiful and generous idea!). Kelly chose the name Eloise simply because she liked it and chose the name Jasper after her beloved 13 year old rescue beagle.
The photo above is from the day that they were rescued. Please give @abbottshillfarm a follow on Instagram to see what Jasper & Eloise look like now and to see them happy and loved in their new home! To donate to their care or to the care of any of the animals at Abbott's, you can do so through their website, PayPal (abbottshillfarm@gmail.com), or Venmo (abbottshillfarm), or you can send them something from one of their many wishlists! Shop Amazon, Chewy, Tractor Supply Co, Walmart, and/or Home Depot. They also offer on-site summer classes for children where the kids learn respectful interactions with animals.
Eloise and Jasper had a rough time for a while. According to Abbott's, they are still learning to trust. They don't allow anyone to pet them but will come in closer proximity for meals. They're also smart and resourceful! They make bedding out of leaves and do a wonderful job looking out for each other. After being neglected and abandoned with their family members we're so happy that they're both finally safe and loved forever!
Thank you so much for being here. Please stay tuned for the next animal's story!
*If you missed it before, you can read Laurel & Hardy's story here.
**Also, a retraction/correction for a previous story: Since the publication of the story on 9/23, I have been made aware of the fact that the horse trio of Hershey, Dixie, and Pockets were never under Ashley's care. They were at a different property and Ashley only saw the horses maybe once to assess them before TOF and a few other sanctuaries determined where they would go to live on a permanent basis. She did take her boyfriend Keith there, which was evidenced by the video that he posted. The confusion stems from the fact that Ashley had promised to take in animals from various places but then obviously didn't and couldn't. Several sanctuaries took on additional animals that were not from Twist of Fate and were residing at different properties simply because Ashley fell through on her promises. (I may or may not do a post about these animals in the future). Because Hershey, Dixie, and Pockets were technically never considered to be animals of the Twist of Fate case, I have deleted their story from the petition. However, everything else in the story is accurate! They did go to live with Red Feather Equine Sanctuary (@redfeatherfarmnc) in September of 2022, Hershey passed away in January of this year, and Dixie and Pockets continue to live there and thrive. My apologies for the misinformation included in the original article!
Thank you.
Ashley's next court date is October 12th.