Obituary pig Jürgen
Jürgen was a giant baby weighing 330kg
Jürgen was a huge domestic pig and was a breeding and training animal at a veterinary university for five years from birth. Jürgen was a star from an early age and everyone loved the huge boar. Jürgen was even featured on ORF television once.
Due to reorganisation, Jürgen could no longer stay
It would no longer be possible to have a boar as big as Jürgen at the University of Veterinary Medicine and it was considered where Jürgen, who knew exactly how to behave when giving tours to kindergarten children or older pupils, could continue to live. It was clear to his carers that slaughter was out of the question. Jürgen should continue to enjoy his life and there was great joy among the students and teachers when Gut Aiderbichl agreed to take Jürgen in.
To welcome him, Jürgen lay down in the dog pool on the dog trail at Gut Aiderbichl in Henndorf
When the animal transport arrived in Henndorf with Jürgen on board, it was warm and sunny. Jürgen got out of the van at a leisurely pace, walked up the dog path and only when he discovered the dog pool could he no longer be stopped. He checked the situation and lay down in the water with relish to cool off. The Gut Aiderbichl staff will probably never be able to forget this sight.
A gentleman moved into the pig palace at Gut Aiderbichl in Henndorf
After a dip in the dog pool and a walk through the stables, Jürgen arrived at the pig palace and must have been amazed at how many pigs, big and small, were living there. He skilfully courted all the female pigs and it soon became clear who had won his heart: Susi, the lady pig, was his chosen one and they led a harmonious pig’s life in Henndorf until the end.
Jürgen began to worry the animal keepers
Unfortunately, he, who loved to munch on good food for the rest of his life, refused to eat more and more often. With a lot of love, creativity and sweet cake, the keepers managed to motivate Jürgen to eat time and again.
He lost weight and from one day to the next he refused to eat. His health deteriorated noticeably. Jürgen was taken to the veterinary clinic and everyone hoped for a miracle, which unfortunately failed to materialise. Severe kidney disease meant that the only option was to save our beloved Jürgen from suffering and pain. In the presence of his trusted carers, Jürgen said “goodbye” and fell asleep peacefully. His faithful heart had stopped beating.
I'll look like I'm dead, but it won't be true.
~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (from: The Little Prince)
Dear Jürgen,
We are grateful that we were able to accompany you. Even though you only lived in the Pig Palace with your Susi for a few years, your mark on our hearts is very deep. You enjoyed one thing in particular: the right to be lazy, as pigs love to be. You loved the thick straw bed more than anything and you often nudged Susi with your trunk to make her understand that she should lie down or simply hope that one of your animal carers would come to your straw bed with a good treat.
Many stories and memories of you have found their way into the hearts of your humans. The sky has gained a new, particularly large star, which sends a very bright light towards the pig palace in Henndorf at night. Take care, dear Jürgen!
From: Gisela Pschenitschnig, Gut Aiderbichl
