Featured Image Credit: John Burke / Getty Images
Firefighters were handed a gift from the farm that they saved from a potentially deadly blaze — sausages made from the piglets that they had rescued.
The farm in Wiltshire, UK, was saved by firefighters in February, who rescued two sows and their baby pigs from the flames. Following their efforts, the farm’s owner Rachel Rivers told them that they would receive a batch of sausages for their efforts, created using the piglets that they had saved. Six months later she made good on her promise, presenting them to the firefighters who were reportedly “over the moon” with their gifts.
“This is just what we do — we are not an animal sanctuary. We give the pigs the best opportunity and the best life they could have for six months,” Rivers said (via The Guardian). “They won’t be kept inside. They are outdoors and fed with organic food which is grown on the farm.”
Firefighters Eat Sausages Made From The Piglets They Saved From Fire
The fire service saved these pigs bacon in February, now they've had them as sausages! pic.twitter.com/UyZmAYvMiz
— BBC Wiltshire (@BBCWiltshire) August 23, 2017
The piglets were just two weeks old when the firefighters saved them from the blaze. At the time, the fire service’s manager Mark Hillier explained how “half of the barn was on fire” when his crew arrived, and that the terrified pigs were sheltering in a corner. “The tough bit was getting towards [the corner] and then to free the pigs,” he said. “Once they were clear, we took a defensive approach to keep the situation under control and then let the fire burn itself out.”
Six months later, they released a follow-up statement to thank the farm for the sausages, branding them the “fruits of our labors.”
“Exactly six months and one day since firefighters rescued 18 piglets from a fire, we got to sample the fruits of our labours from that February night,” the statement reads.
“Huge thank you to Rachel Rivers for dropping them off for us to sample. Highly recommended by Pewsey fire station crew and if any one of our followers is having a bank holiday BBQ this weekend then check out these sausages, they are fantastic.”
