The origins of the Vischer Ferry Pig Center began deep in the Covid-19 Pandemic shut downs. Craig and Corinne Berndt were home with their two small children, adjusting to working at home full time. Corinne, a life long pig lover thanks to her childhood potbelly named George, began following Arthur’s Acres Animal Sanctuary on Facebook. Their live broadcasts quickly became a staple of the family’s day. Arthur’s Acres couldn’t have visitors, so they took their tours to social media.
Fast forward to December of 2021, after months and months of sequestration at home, the Berndt Family had every toy, electronic, etc that they could want. For Christmas, Craig arranged for the family to tour Arthur’s Acres to meet the pigs they had grown to know. Billie and Moby, a pair of Kunekune rescues had captured their imagination because they were so happy, so furry and so cute.
December 29, 2021 came and the Berndt family packed up a few bushels of apples from a local farm as a gift for the pigs and headed south to the Catskill Mountains and Arthur’s Acres. The tour with Todd Friedman was absolutely eye opening for everyone, especially Craig. These animals were intelligent, fun, clean and had relationships with each other and people far above the level of most dogs.
They heard to story of Sullivan, who they still sponsor to this day, who would be rescued that night. He was living in a garage with other exotic animals with only a paper thin carpet for a bed and was completely neglected. His hooves were a like clown shoes and he couldn’t see. There was a complete tour of the facility with so many questions. Their daughters even got to help with the physical therapy of the legendary Katniss. On the way out Hans, another Kunekune, tried to follow the family out.
The Berndt family had a very medically needy dog at the time named Gryffindor. He and diabetes and just about every complication of it. With regular medical care by specialists and 11 medications administered as many as 5 times a day, Gryffin lead a relatively normal life and was very happy. Unfortunately he couldn’t live for ever and passed away the following April. The Berndts were in love with pigs, but had held off on a rescue because of the financial and time commitment they had made to Gryffin and the 4 rescue cats they had taken on when a family member unexpectedly passed. When they realized that they had several spare hours in the day that was previously dedicated to Gryffin, it was game on for pig rescue.
Corinne began the hunt for the perfect rescues online. Craig gave up his office space to fund a small building on their property that doubles as his office, which he finished into a heated and insulated barn for the pigs, and an office for himself. By June they were ready.
After a few false starts Corinne found Nina and Otis, a pair of massively overweight Kunekunes living in a garage in Kentucky. All they could think of was Sullivan, and how he had begun to turn his life around and it seemed like a sign. Nina and Otus had likely been purchased as “micro” or “pocket” pigs and were abandoned earlier in the pandemic when they got too big. Now in the spring of 2022 they were supposedly 350 lbs and nearly immobile. The family who had them was their original rescuers, taking them in after being abandoned, but didn’t know how to care for pigs. They were over fed and their hooves and joints were in horrible shape due to years of laying around eating.
While Craig was building, Corinne was working with Eastern Snouts Rescue Network to get Nina and Otis from Kentucky to Upstate New York. That is when board member, Jessy Pallotto came into their lives. Jessy was assigned to the case and worked for MONTHS to secured medical clearance and transport for Nina and Otis to get to New York. Eventually she managed both and arrival day came.
The Craig, Corinne and Jessy kept track of the pick up, and progress toward New York of the transport company that was also delivering goats and other animals all over New England. Late on June 25th, the transporters decided they weren’t comfortable keeping Nina and Otis any longer. They rerouted for a midnight delivery.
Nina and Otis were so much sicker and fatter than the Berndts were told. They were both upwards of 500 lbs, not 350 as described, and their hooves were so bad they couldn’t really walk. Nina had to be slid out of the trailer on her bottom. Otis was angry and Nina was bleeding from the ordeal. It was clear they would have to rethink everything. The new barn, 30 feet away was out of the question. Nina and Otis needed straw bedding right where they were in the back corner of the pen where they had come off the trailer. They got a temporary tarp shelter to keep the rain and sun off of them. Meals were served in place and the healing began. A veterinarian was brought on site immediately to evaluate them and give vaccines. Over the next few months Nina and Otis stayed put, never taking more than 10 steps to struggle far enough away from their bed to use the bathroom.
Nina’s hooves especially needed immediate attention. Pallotto and her assistant arrived a few days later to trim their hooves. Even after being debulked with a bolt cutters, Nina needed another 4 inches of hoof material removed. Her right hoof had foundered, or crumbled because she layed on her arm for months or years, limiting blood flow. There were constant calls for advice to Todd at Arthur’s Acres and Jessy. Nina and Otis both had to be encouraged to walk daily and be pushed to drink water, instead of their usual apple juice. They had to get used to being with people so the family spent every spare minute out in the pen with their new wacky neighbors.
Slowly the weight came off and finally in October of 2022, a full 4 months after arriving, Nina and Otis went in their house for the first time. By winter they were comfortable on their futon mattress with lots of blankets and heat lamps to keep them warm.
Nina and Otis are thriving. They have each lost well over 100 lbs and have healthy, solid hooves that keep them mobile and healthy. They love their kids, their mom and dad, their dogs, the toads that visit them and their own new neighbors, Wesley and Phil- a Kunekune and potbelly pair rescued by the Berndts in 2024 to round out the menagerie.
Nina and Otis were selected by the Berndts because no one else would take them. They were told Nina and Otis weren’t worth worth it. Just put them down or buy piglets. Get easier pigs. Well Nina and Otis were worth it. The Berndts had a social media account running to document their transformation, instagram.com/ninaandotis you can go watch every detail of the build, the rescue and their rehab. Nina and Otis showed the Berndts how simple it is to properly care for pigs. All that was between Nina and Otis and good health was the right food and some attention.
Vischer Ferry Pig Center draws inspiration from Nina and Otis. They never gave up and neither did the Berndts and here we are years later ready to share what they learned. The skills and network they picked up along the way is still with them.
If you found this story relatable or touching, please consider visiting our Zeffy or Patreon accounts a making a monthly donation to help VFPC help keep pigs like Nina and Otis in their homes with their families.
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