Mission Statement

The Ironwood Pig Sanctuary is dedicated to eliminating the suffering of pot bellied pigs in Arizona and surrounding states by promoting spaying and neutering, assisting owners and other sanctuaries, and providing a permanent home in a safe, nurturing environment for those that are abandoned, abused, neglected, or unwanted.

We are home to almost 600 pot bellied pigs.

Do You Want To Donate?

The Ironwood Pig Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and any donation is tax-deductable. It just takes a few minutes to make a secure donation by PayPal using your credit card. Click the donate button to make a donation. You do not need a PayPal account.

Refer to our SUPPORT page for more ways to support your Sanctuary such as sponsoring a pig, being a sustainer, getting the sanctuary credit card, or double or triple your donation by using your companies matching gift program.

Introductory Video of the Sanctuary.

Summer is Here in Arizona but Other Parts of the Country are Still Cold!!!

From the President

Eleven years ago next month we will mark the day of the arrival of Claire and Popeye, our first two pigs, who are still enjoying their lives with us in our Main Field. Our front and back covers have been dedicated to some of the early arrivals who remain with us after these eleven years. We are proud and grateful to be able to celebrate our 11th-year anniversary. It is only because of you that this has been possible. No matter how good our intentions are or how much we love our pigs, our 11 years of expansion and growth would never have been possible had you not been with us with your financial and emotional support making us a viable sanctuary for so many hundreds of pigs over these years.

Hundreds and hundreds of pigs have come to us during these 11 years. Most will live out their lives with us and a few will go to new homes. We have given each the one gift we all need, a home. A place where no harm will come to them. Where food is an everyday occurrence, bedding surrounds them on cold nights and no one sleeps in the rain. Where swimming pools and mud wallows are plentiful in the hot summers. It’s so little and yet it is everything to these pigs, some arriving with bones sticking out of malnourished bodies or hooves so long they can barely walk or pigs so fat they have labored breathing and eyes that are no longer useful, hidden behind rolls of fat. We take them all and we give them a home, love, security and a routine they can depend on. It’s what we do and who we are. The line between us and them is only a formality. We share every day as though it were their last or our last, knowing that one day it will be and that we have done our utter best at being there to care for them.

PS We recently rescued Olivia and Charlotte, two young rowdy females who lived in a small pen with no shelter and minimal shade and only one small blanket to protect them from the rain, wind and cold of the winter. We were once again reminded of the urgent need for our services and why we continue after 11 years to provide a home for these pigs in need.

Ironwood Celebrates Eight Years!

Shown here are many of our first pigs five years after our opening. Many of you are making this journey with us and you may recognize many of them from issues past.

June 10, 2001 we officially opened the doors of the Ironwood Pig Sanctuary. Claire and Popeye arrived that evening. Then on June 11th Misty and Tully came, June 12th Owen and Taylor, June 14th a litter of babies, June 15th Oreo came to our home and June 30th Blossom arrived along with Eddie and Flapjack. That rounded out our first month and filled the 8 pens we had constructed at that time, and the overflow went to our home and introduced me to my dear beloved Oreo.

Soon thereafter Pearl, Princess, Bubba, Mr. Pibb, Arnold, Benjamin and Oliver, Desiree, Pammy, Corky and so many others followed them. We built more pens and they were soon full, and we anxiously awaited the completion of our large 6-acre field. With a sigh of relief, our field was completed in early Oct. 2001 and we began the hard process of releasing our pigs out of the pens and into the fields. This is never an easy task since pigs sometimes fight furiously for their position in the herd, so these first few days were a prelude of what was to come and the beginning of subdividing our new large field to suit the capabilities and ages of our new family.

Since those early days in 2001 so much has changed. Our facility has grown and we now have a good well and storage for 40,000 gals of water. We hope to have power by this summer, and our staff continues to grow to meet the growing needs of our pigs. A large herd of pigs arrived from Pigs*A*Lot in January of 2002, as well as a small herd of less-able pigs from there. These became our East and West fields. Ben, Donna, and I had volunteered there and some of those pigs, like my Wilma, were the reason Ironwood became a reality. I had come to love some of the pigs so much and as Pigs*A*Lot grew to overflowing and more calls came in to take pigs we decided the only solution was for us to open another sanctuary. Of course this was not the solution nor will it ever be. The only solution is to stop the breeding, which we try to do every time we have the opportunity.

The years passed and more homeless pigs arrived and more field divisions were made. Nineteen arrived from a sanctuary near Phoenix and 7 from a large Florida rescue. In May of 2003 we purchased the Annex property, previously Pigs*A*Lot, where we had our beginnings, and our family grew by nearly 90 pigs. In July of 2004 St. Matilda’s was unable to continue and our family grew by 46, and in September of 2004 the final 30 pigs from Pigs*A*Lot were back home at our Annex.

We now have 440 (2006) (we have 540 in 2008) pigs living at our two facilities. We continue to take in more pigs as we find homes for others and are making every effort to keep our numbers stable. In all, over these five years, well over 600 pigs have been a part of Ironwood. Many have gone on to new homes and others have lived out their lives with us. We have been happy and fortunate to provide them a safe nurturing environment for the rest of their journey. Our lives are now co-mingled and we are making the journey together.

Employees Needed

Animal Care Providers

WANTED: Trustworthy, caring person who loves animals to live at and work at the Ironwood Pig Sanctuary, a non-profit pot bellied pig sanctuary located near Marana, AZ, a rural area of southern Arizona one hour drive north of Tucson. Experience with working with animals and medical knowledge is a plus. The ability to work with others is necessary.

This is HARD work. Job duties include, but are not limited to, cleaning pens and fields, feeding, hands-on care of pigs who are disabled, injured, or sick, or general animal care and help with trimming tusks and hoofs. Handling 50# bags of feed and assisting with moving bales of hay to the various feeding stations. Must be willing to work some weekends and holidays as necessary. Five day work week is standard.

Housing is free and consists of a 40 foot completely self contained 5th wheel trailer. Utilities are provided. TV and high-speed internet access are available in all accommodations.

References and background are checked. No drugs period. Non-smoker. Vegetarian preferred.

The Ironwood Pig Sanctuary is located in Marana, Arizona on 80 acres in a beautiful Sonoran desert habitat. The climate is moderate in winter and hot in summer. Summer daytime temperatures can be in the 100's with nighttime temperatures in the 60's-70's. The surrounding mountains are perfect for hiking. Southern Arizona is a premier bird watching area.

We are looking for a dedicated person who is ready to commit to the care of unwanted and abused pot bellied pigs. Is that YOU?