Esther the Wonder Pig is exactly that. A worldwide wonder. If you've never heard of her, prepare for your heart to melt.
A Star is Born
Canadian couple Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter had no idea what they were getting into when they adopted a "miniature" pig back in 2012 from a commercial farm. Looking to expand their family with the addition of a piglet, Jenkins and Walter adopted Esther, whom they were told was a "micro-pig." Now, some 600 pounds later, Esther is not only a huge part of the guys' family (literally), but she's also an internet sensation.
With nearly 1 million Facebook fans, Esther challenges meat eaters to look their bacon straight in the face. Her dads are reformed carnivores and since adopting Esther, they have fully converted to veganism. They now raise Esther as the poster pig for cruelty-free eating choices in hopes of inspiring meat-a-holics to consider a plant-based lifestyle.
Peace, Love, and Esther
Esther has her own website and Facebook page where fans can follow along in her everyday adventures. You can read about her fun outdoors, her new favorite snacks, and witness the special relationship she has with her feline and canine brothers and sisters. Written from her perspective (with the help of her dads), Esther exposes viewers to what life could be for animals who are saved from the slaughterhouse.
The Dark Side of Meat
Have you ever thought about where you food comes from? Maybe you should. There's a page on Esther's website dedicated to "The Dark Side," which shows viewers the vivid reality of the meat packing industry, and the suffering and slaughtering of the 50 billion animals a year who give their lives for the meat on your plates.The Esther Effect
In 2014, Jenkins and Walter, with the help of Esther's online supporters, started the Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary to rescue and rehabilitate abandoned and abused farm animals. It's through the sanctuary that the couple is able to continue their animal-saving efforts via what they've coined as, "the Esther effect" —love, compassion and education.
An Esther Revolution
Obsessed with the cuteness yet? Check out the Esther fan shop. She even has a book about "changing the world one heart at a time." And you can join Esther's dads on an Esther cruise this March! Proceeds from the cruise benefit the animals at the Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary.
Many people have a lifelong love affair with bacon. But when you get to know your food on an intimate level and look it right in the little eyes, it may make you think twice.