Santa Clarita barn rescues family of pigs who were about to become Christmas dinner

LOS ANGELES - A Santa Clarita rescue group went to great lengths to save a mother and her eight babies…the family of nine is actually a pig and her eight little piglets. 

The Gentle Barn says Miss Piggy was bought by a family in Kennewick, Washington to be slaughtered and eaten on Christmas. But she unexpectedly gave birth to eight little babies and the family had a change of heart.

They contacted the Gentle Barn and without hesitation the founders of the barn left Santa Clarita on Christmas Day and drove for two days to Washington to rescue the pigs. 

“Friday morning we’re going to meet the pigs, load them up in the trailer and drive all the way 16 hours straight home without stopping to sleep, because you know you can’t sleep at a hotel with pigs,” said Gentle Barn founder Ellie Laks in a video posted online. 

The piglets arrived to California on Saturday and got acquainted into their new home. 

Laks says an anonymous donor has pledged $10,000 to match donations raised by the barn to help with the pigs and other animals.