It sounds so incredibly cheesy to type publicly, but when I spend a night away from my kitten, I miss him a whole lot. During a recent trip, I realized I spent the longest time from him to date—just five days, but still, it didn't feel great.The relationship between animals and their humans is a pretty special one. That's part of what stoked the emotional fire when some tornado victims were reunited with pets they thought they lost. Pets usually consider their human home, so when this owner sings to comfort her blind pig Bentley, it's the exact same brand of feels.
Corinne DiLorenzo, founder of nonprofit EARTH Animal Sanctuary, says her 9-month-old potbelly pig has been suffering health problems since February. Bentley had a seizure in late February and further analysis revealed a potentially fatal case of bacterial meningitis. The heartbreaking experience left the small pig completely blind and relegated to the hospital while recovering from a recent surgery. His blindness makes the loud, sterile quarters even more scary—since it's all so mysterious. That fact isn't lost on DiLorenzo, who visits Bentley daily to hold and sing to him in an effort to provide some comfort. Bentley's reaction to the familiar sounds and touch is downright heartbreaking as he nuzzles DiLorenzo in appreciation.
He's just a baby, and likely, very scared. Can you begin to imagine being left completely alone for hours on end, entirely unable to see a thing? Pair that with the terrifying sounds of the hospitals—drills, shuffling, falls, etc.—and that smacks of the plot to some ultra-psychological thriller.
The care and obvious love DiLorenzo doles to her sweet piglet is remarkable. Clearly there is a very intact, tangible bond there between animal and human. "I can't wait until he can finally come home," she says. Ugh. I'm sure.
Studies suggest dogs at least can understand human vocal inflection and can react accordingly. Cats, too, have some comprehension of human recognition—namely, their human's voice. Pigs, although still not a super conventional pet choice (despite Miley's adoption of one), are remarkably bright. So it stands to reason that Bentley can absolutely recognize DiLorenzo's voice and therefore experience major comfort during her thoughtful visits.
Luckily, though, DiLorenzo won't have to suffer the immense cost of Bentley's medical care alone. A fundraising campaign for his bills was recently surpassed. That's really life-affirming, the rallying support behind this cuddling pig baby's existence. In the interim, however, if your pockets feel especially deep or you feel especially touched by Bentley's battle, you may still make a donation to DiLorenzo's EARTH organization. Your dollars may help lessen the distress of another animal's struggle in the future, and that can only be a good thing.
Images: YouTube (2)
