Over the past 14 years, Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge has operated with passion, integrity, and a deep commitment to providing exceptional lifelong care to rescued farmed animals.

Now, with your help, we are continuing that mission through Phase 2 of The Pig Project. Building on the success of Phase 1, we are expanding our existing sanctuary so that rescued pigs can find a true forever home, far from the cruelty of the farming industries.

In this campaign, we are raising $35,000 toward a larger $300,000 goal to build essential homes, medical spaces, and care facilities. And thanks to a group of generous donors, the first $20,000 raised will be matched!

Join us in making a difference and help give these intelligent, sensitive animals the life they have always deserved.

The Need for Pig Rescue

Most people have never seen how pigs raised for food actually live, and that’s by design. The reality is deliberately hidden from view, allowing an industry built on suffering to operate largely unquestioned. Over 98% of pigs in the United States are raised inside factory farms with no access to the outdoors.

The pigs are: 

• crowded into tight spaces
• restricted to gestation and farrowing crates which severely restrict the movement of pregnant and nursing mothers for months at a time.
• often raised with minimal care, even on smaller farms. 
• typically slaughtered by 6 months of age, while their natural lifespan is upwards of 15 years. 

In North Carolina alone the USDA estimates more than 7.5 million pigs will be killed for food in 2026.

Despite this staggering number, you could live here your entire life without ever seeing one of these intelligent, sensitive animals. Their lives, and their suffering, remain out of sight behind the closed doors of farming operations.

But the environmental consequences of farming pigs at this scale cannot be contained. Massive amounts of pig waste pollute waterways, degrade air quality, and contribute to serious health problems for people living in eastern North Carolina. What happens behind the walls of these operations doesn’t stay there: it affects entire communities, ecosystems, and ultimately, all of us.

How We Will Help Pigs

At the Refuge, we recognize pigs as intelligent, sensitive individuals who deserve long, safe, and fulfilling lives.

The Pig Project is our commitment to making that conviction a reality by building a true sanctuary for rescued pigs at The Refuge, where they can finally thrive. This ambitious initiative will create a pig-centered haven designed around their needs, instincts, and wellbeing.

The space will include:

• Expansive woodlands for natural roaming and exploration
• Four custom-built homes based on our Animal-Centered Design principles
• Swimming areas where pigs can cool off and relax
• Daily enrichment, including foraging for planted vegetables
• A dedicated feeding station, along with quarantine and medical care facilities for pigs who are elderly or in need

Alongside providing a safe forever home, we will create a robust educational campaign that brings the public face-to-face with rescued pigs. Through guided tours, youth programs, and partnerships with local universities, we aim to foster understanding, compassion, and respect, helping people see pigs not as commodities, but as the remarkable animals they are.

Phase 2: Building A Forever Home

In the first phase of The Pig Project, our community came together to raise over $125,000, making it possible to begin transforming our expanded acreage. With those funds, we installed essential infrastructure, including more than a mile of access roads that laid the groundwork for everything to come.

Now, we’re ready for Phase 2 and we need your help to bring it to life! This next stage will create the core spaces that allow rescued pigs to live in safety and comfort, including:

• Four Pig Houses - thoughtfully placed throughout the woodlands and designed specifically to meet the needs of rescued pigs
• Central Feeding Area - allowing for structured mealtimes and specialized care for pigs with unique dietary needs
• Large Quarantine Building - providing a safe space for newly rescued pigs, while also supporting other large animals like cows
• Dedicated Clinic Building - ensuring pigs who are injured, ill, or aging receive the care and dignity they deserve
  
  

The total funding needed for Phase 2 is $300,000. This fundraiser is an important step toward that goal, and every contribution brings us closer to making this vision a reality.

With your help, we will create a home where pigs can finally experience freedom, comfort, and compassionate care, many for the first time in their lives. Your support will also help expand the Refuge’s ability to serve as a model for humane treatment, inspiring change in North Carolina and far beyond.

Matching Donations

We are thrilled to announce that a group of generous supporters have pledged to match the first $20,000 of donations that are part of this campaign! Now when you contribute to The Pig Project, your gift will now go twice as far. Huge thanks to all of the anonymous donors and to The Janet L. Brunes Foundation for their wonderful support.

Join us in building a future where pigs are seen, valued, and protected. Donate today to help us reach our goal by June 30th! In addition to donating, we ask that you please share this campaign to help us spread the word!

Pig Project Perks!

As a small way to thank you for being a part of The Pig Project, you have the option to select from a variety of perks and rewards offered at different levels of giving. With your help we can truly make a difference in the lives of dozens of rescued pigs. Thank you for your generous contribution towards making our world a more compassionate place for all living creatures.

In addition to donating, we ask that you please share our project to help us ensure success.

$10 - Pig Project Thank You

— Personalized digital Thank You Card sent directly from our Founder

$25 - Pig Project Supporter Badge

— Digital “Pig Project Supporter Badge”

— The $10 reward

$50 - Piggy Postcards

— A set of 3 beautiful postcards showcasing pigs the Refuge has rescued and re-homed over the past 14 years

— All perks from the $10 and $25 levels

$100 - Special Edition Beanie

— Special edition Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge beanie

— All perks from the $10, $25, and $50 levels

$250 - Pig Sponsorship Packet

— Become a Pig Sponsor for a future rescued pigs for a full year
— Personalized certificate
— Follow your pig’s journey with regular updates, photos, and stories.

— Meet your pig when they arrive at the refuge
— All perks from previous levels

$500 - Custom Pig Portrait

— 8x10 inch custom-painted Pig Portrait by artist and longtime Refuge volunteer Meadow Muckerman.

— All perks from previous levels

$1000 - Name on Pig Plaque

—Choose a name or short phrase to be engraved on one of our large pig-shaped metal plaques 

— All perks from previous levels

$5,000 -Private Tour & Vegan Dinner

— Private Tour of the future pig habitat for you and up to four guests with Refuge founder Lenore Braford and architect Paul Drake

— Vegan dinner with Lenore and Paul at the Refuge Pavilion.

— All perks from previous levels

$10,000 - Name A Piggy Building

—Name one of the buildings that will be an essential part of the pig habitat

— All perks from previous levels

Thank You!

THANK YOU for being a part of The Pig Project!

If you have questions or would like to reach out to us, please contact our Founder & Executive Director, Lenore Braford, by email at lenore@piedmontrefuge.org or by phone at 919-799-0125.