In case you ever have ever wondered if animals are thinking, feeling creatures, Henry and Horton are here to show you that pigs have emotions and are capable of kindness and compassion, much like humans. Henry and Horton were rescued from a farm where they were severely neglected. When they were found, they were starving, covered in ticks, and anemic from parasite infection.
“They were scared to death,” Ellie Laks, founder of The Gentle Barn, told The Dodo. Gentle Barn rescued the pigs in the summer of 2015, but it took time and patience before the pair would socialize with humans and realize that they were finally safe. “We sat with them every day for weeks to comfort them,” Ellie explained.
The Gentle Barn is an animal rescue and sanctuary in Tennessee. Many of the animals there were abused, neglected, or intended for food. The staff and volunteers are kind-hearted people, but Henry wants you to know that he is a kind soul, too.
As the two pigs began to recover from their ordeal and gain a proper amount of weight, Horton started to struggle with his mobility. This is common in pigs bred for food, who are often too big for their own bodies to handle. Horton takes medicine for his condition but still struggles to get around. So, his best friend, Henry, brings him his meals.
“When we take hay out to the pigs’ pasture the first thing Henry does is take some to his brother, Horton, who is not as mobile,” Ellie wrote on Facebook. “Sharing food is true love, and Henry is the best guy!”
Henry and Horton share everything and spend a lot of time with one another.
“He is very nurturing to him — to the point where he won’t let any other pigs near him,” Laks said of Henry’s habits. “He knows that Horton is delicate and vulnerable.”
Henry even makes sure that Horton is always safe and looked after. He does everything he can to be sure that his best friend has the happiest life possible. The humans of the Gentle Barn do amazing work with these animals, but Henry is a true example of the intelligence and emotion that animals, in this case, pigs, are capable of.
“If Horton makes a peep, Henry is right back there to check on him,” Ellie said. “He’ll check back in throughout the day, too, just to make sure he’s doing OK.”
In the heartwarming video below, watch Henry deliver a bit of food to his best friend, Horton.
