IT IS a sad truth that a lot of animal sanctuaries don’t survive.

This can be due to a host of different reasons; they may have run out of money, the lease on their premises may have expired, the owners may have become ill, or they may have been forced to close, but whenever another safe haven for animals has to shut then the biggest victims inevitably are the animals that they have been working so hard to care for.

The first pigs that were taken in at the Pen Y Bryn Animal Sanctuary were two handsome pot-bellied brothers who needed to be rehomed because of just such a sanctuary closing.

The pair had originally been bought by a naïve woman from the West Midlands who believed they were micro pigs.

Unfortunately, when they wouldn’t stop growing and ended up largely destroying her flat when she realised that she had to give them up to a local sanctuary.

Peter Gill from Pen Y Bryn said: “When we heard that a pig sanctuary was closing and needed help with its inhabitants we immediately offered to take in two of their smaller pigs.

What turned up however were two imperious, two-hundred-pound boars with impressive tusks who I was immediately intimidated by and not anything like we were expecting.

“It wouldn’t take long though for my knees to stop wobbling, Midnight and Merlin, as they were called, proved to be two gentle giants.

“They are keenly intelligent and remarkably affectionate. Apart from food, which is certainly their most favourite thing in the world, they like nothing better than to flop down on their sides to have their bellies rubbed.

“They readily show a sense of joy by cavorting round their paddock first thing in the morning or splashing in their wallow on a warm summer’s day.

“To us they have never shown an iota of aggression (though they frequently argue with each other over their breakfast or tea).

“An indication of how much they were loved by their first owner is the charming trick that Merlin does, which we discovered purely by chance.

“If you have some food in your hand he will waddle two steps forward, then one backward and plant his bottom on the ground in a posture of sitting.

“Then, with full expectation of being rewarded he will open up his great mouth for you to drop the treat into it.

If you want to read more about Midnight, Merlin and our other residents or how you can help the sanctuary then please visit the website penybrynanimals.co.uk and read the blog ‘Tales From Pen Y Bryn’.

Unfortunately, Pen Y Bryn is not open to the public, but the owners do offer the occasional supervised visit.

When the team take in a new lodger at Pen Y Bryn it is for the rest of their lives.

“Whatever stresses they have gone through before in their life – and for some it has been quite horrific, once they’re with us their life’s ordeals are over,” Peter said.