New potbellied pig condos at the Sanctuary

Construction of new housing in the form of condominium units for Best Friends’ potbellied pigs is nearly complete.

Potbellied pig condos

The waterproof condos, designed especially for these hoofed critters, will keep the pigs sheltered and cool in the summer and warm and comfy in the winter. There’s a five-unit piggy condo at the front of the structure and a four-unit condo at the back.

Shaped like a traditional barn, it’s outfitted with air conditioning, heating, separate piggy doors, and fluffy beds, blankets and straw.

The units are a big upgrade to the pig habitat. "The condos are an improvement because they give the pigs a larger area for sleeping, and they’re heated," says Yvonne McIntosh, manager of Piggy Paradise. "The pigs can also be fed inside on rainy days, if needed, so that's a big plus." And, if the pigs choose, they can take daytime naps indoors too.

Jack, who was booted from his original home by stringent homeowners’ association rules, recently tried out the pig-sized doors leading to the individual units, or stalls. At this condo complex, potbellied pigs like Jack are welcome.

The condos are at the end of the pigs’ yards, where they spend their days socializing with each other and playing in mud holes (replenished with water each day).

Housing for all the pigs

Once the finishing touches are completed, joining Jack to spend nights inside the condos will be three sets of brothers: Grunty and Porky, Hogan and Jeffery, and Pepe and Jake.

The front section will be home to seven pigs, including two sets of brothers. And the condos in the back will house five pigs, including one set of brothers who will share a unit.

All told, 19 potbellies live at Piggy Paradise, with a few (including Sprocket, Daphne and Harley) occupying a special-needs section behind the office. Britney, a 15-year-old aging pig, stays inside the office.

The condos – made possible by a generous donation in 2007 – are a nice way for the pigs to beat the summer heat, Yvonne says. "It stays cooler in there on hot days because the condos are insulated."

Browse adoptable pigs at Best Friends.

Photo by Gary Kalpakoff