Hearts on Noses is a registered non-profit society in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, that rescues, rehabilitates and cares for unwanted, injured, orphaned, abused, neglected and abandoned mini-pigs.
The Hearts on Noses Story
The Hearts on Noses sanctuary was started in 2002 by Janice Gillett with her first pot-bellied pig, "Willy", a unkempt stray she discovered on the property when she moved in. In Janice's own words, her passion for helping animals started long ago...
"I guess it all started back when I realized what that black ball of fur
was curled up on our living room carpet. I loved you Smokey! My life has always had animals in it, from saving birds fallen from nests to the hamsters my brothers had, and of course every kitten I could find skipping home from school. Who would have thought that a little black pig who I found running around the property I just moved into would be the start of one of my biggest love affairs. After all this is a pig not a cat, dog or horse which is why I moved here in the first place. In all my life on every birthday candle wish it was horses I had dreamed about. Long flowing manes, tails flying in the wind, the shear grace & beauty of them captured my heart. It was not whispered from my lips as I blew the candle out that I really wanted a big, black, grunting, spoiled & cheeky black pig. I love you Willy, more then you know... Welcome to my world as life with pigs unfolded around me and in such a short time I realized these animal were being exploited just like all exotic animals brought into this country. Misconceptions from backyard breeders about size and the lack of education on the part of most folks who get an animal left them abandoned or surrendered to the local shelters. I try and explain my quest to help these kindred spirits to my family, " it's like the birds who migrate every year, they don't know why they do it they just know they have to!" Hearts On Noses came about when I looked at the shape of Willy's nose; clearly its shape was that of an upside down heart, my heart is on that nose! Please let me share with you my love for these incredibly smart animals on these few pages."
~ Janice Gillett
