Reasons To Love Pigs (Besides Cute Pig-Themed Gifts!)

Here at The Pink Pigs, we love pigs — even the non-pink ones! Pigs are the whole reason we do what we do. Rooterville Animal Sanctuary, to which all of the proceeds from The Pink Pigs go, was founded to care for pot-bellied pigs and now is home to over 400 rescue animals including goats, chickens, dogs, cows, and of course, pigs. 

We have a lot of guests who are lovers of pigs themselves or who are looking for the best gifts for pig lovers. Whichever category you fall into, we can all agree that pigs rock! Below, we’ll be listing nine reasons why pigs are amazing. And if you want to show your love for pigs and support a good cause while you’re at it, check out all of our gifts for pig lovers from our online boutique store! 

1. Pigs are crazy smart. 

Pigs are thought to be one of the smartest animals in the world, falling in line with chimpanzees, dolphins, and crows. They are more trainable than dogs and cats and are the smartest domesticated animal. They are natural problem solvers and learn new tasks quickly. Pigs can be taught to solve puzzles and are highly emotional creatures who can recognize their friends, communicate their needs to one another, and respond when their name is called. In comparison to humans, pigs are thought to have the intelligence level of an average three-year-old. 

2. Mother pigs sing to their babies. 

Is this not the sweetest thing? Piglets can easily recognize the sound of their mothers’ voice and will run to her when she calls them. Mother piglets also, allegedly, sing to their piglets while they nurse. 

3. Pigs are actually very clean. 

People often refer to dirty places as a “pigsty” or say that someone is “sweating like a pig.” In fact, pigs are very clean animals. If given enough space in a pen, they will designate a “bathroom corner” so that they don’t end up playing or eating where they go to the bathroom. Pigs also have very few sweat glands. If they live in a hot environment, they will roll around in mud to cool down. However, most pigs would prefer a nice pool of water over mud and, if the climate is cool, won’t roll in mud at all. 

4. Pigs have a fantastic sense of smell. 

A pig’s big snout isn’t just for show! Pigs have very poor eyesight, but they more than make up for it with their sense of smell. For decades, pigs’ noses have been used to sniff out truffles, a highly valued fungi that happen to contain the same scent as the sex hormones of male pigs, making them natural truffle-finders! Pigs have also been used to sniff out landmines so that people can avoid them or safely remove them. 

5. Denmark way more pigs than people! 

Denmark loves their piggies! Denmark has approximately 28 million pigs at a time, while they have just under 6 million people. 

6. Pigs love to cuddle. 

Frankly, we don’t think there is anything cuter than a pile of pigs! Pigs love to cuddle with each other (or their favorite humans!) and even enjoy sleeping nose-to-nose. 

7. Pigs have dinosaur “ancestors” 

Pig-like creatures have been around for some time, just not in the exact form that we recognize today. The entelodont is a pig-like dinosaur that roamed the earth about 50 million years ago. These big pigs were about 7 feet tall at the shoulder and had brains the size of an orange. Much like today’s pigs, entelodonts had cloven hooves and walked on two toes, with two vestigial toes on the backs of their feet. These pigs of the past are sometimes called “hell pigs” or “terminator pigs” even though they are actually more closely related to whales than pigs! 

8. Pigs can save lives! 

Pigs share close DNA with humans and can even donate their organs to humans! This is a method of cross-species organ transplantation known as xenotransplantation. While there are still complications with this process, scientists believe that pigs can play a major role in curing diabetes because their pancreatic cells can be transferred to humans for long-term insulin production. Pig heart valves can also be used to replace human heart valves. Unfortunately, this goes against the plant-based lifestyle we promote here at The Pink Pigs, but it is simply another reminder of just how closely linked humans and animals are.

9. Pigs come in all shapes and sizes! 

Just like humans, pigs come in all shapes and sizes! The largest pig species is the giant forest hog, which is found in Africa. This big pig can grow up to 7 feet in length from snout to tail and can weigh over 600 pounds. 

On the other side, we have the smallest pig breed: the Göttingen minipig. This minipig is the smallest domestic pig known in the world and, when fully grown, typically remain under 60 pounds. 

Shop Our Gifts For Pig Lovers!