Four sows are still looking for homes after being cared for the RSPCA for nearly three years.

Staff at RSPCA Southridge Animal Centre are searching for the ideal homes for the four large white pigs that have been in the centre’s care since June 2015. The pigs are named after famous pigs: Penelope, Charlotte, Peppa and Babe.

A very unique pig, Penelope only has one ear as she was picked on so much by other pigs before she was rescued as she tried to defend her babies. Two of her other ‘piglets’, Rodney and Percy, have been recently reserved, leaving the others still waiting for their forever homes.

Animal care assistant Lisa Obertelli said: “If you’ve got room in heart for these larger than life sows, we’d love to hear from you.

“Of course we are looking for someone with a smallholding or farm rather than your average back garden as these are pretty large pet pigs who are very strong and love to root around and make a mess, but we’re determined to find the right home where they can bring their new owners a lot of enjoyment.

“They are so fun to watch and care for, particularly when they are given tasty treats such as frozen watermelon or buckets of fruit. They also love to be brushed with oil and wallow about in their water baths.

“They really do have wonderful characters, and in fact, they once managed to cheekily pull down the fabric canopy we put up to give them shade, and started playing a great game of tug of war. It was a job for us to prise it from them.”

“The four sows have been in our care for far too long now and they really deserve to go to forever homes. We took Penelope in back in 2015 with her piglets, but of course over the last couple of years they have grown to the size of their Mum, and they need a new adventure.

“It’s essential that their new adopter has experience of keeping pigs to make sure they can provide everything they’ll need to be looked after properly, as well as knowledge of the laws associated with keeping pigs such as what they can and can’t be fed. They’ll also need to register their land to keep pigs if they haven’t already done so, and follow the required laws to transport them.”

To be properly cared for, the pigs need a large designated space just for them where they can wallow in mud to cool down in the summer and a pig hut full of comfy straw in the winter to snuggle up inside and keep cosy.

The staff who care for the pigs would ideally like them to go in pairs, or as a four, depending on the facilities of the new homes. The RSPCA is also willing to transport the pigs.

If you think you could offer Penelope, Charlotte, Peppa and Babe a home please contact the team at Southridge on 0300 123 0704.