When I first set foot in New Life Animal Sanctuary in 2023, I was a woman on a mission. In this veritable paradise of animals from so many different species roaming happily – ducks, goats, llamas, chickens, bunnies, guinea pigs, dogs – I had only one goal in mind:

Take a watermelon, throw it as hard as I could at the ground, and watch it smash into pieces.

Part of this was the innate human joy in watching fruit explode, sure, but I was even more excited about the second step, which was the joy it would bring the piggies for whom the watermelon was being smashed. This annual “Let Freedom Ring” event, so-named because of its celebration around the Fourth of July, commemorated the rescue of 31 Gottingen pigs released from a laboratory to live out the remainder of their time happily and safely at New Life Animal Sanctuary.

Pigs Love Watermelon

I did indeed get to smash a watermelon on that bright sunny day, and watch as the piggies happily ate, their curly tails wagging, their eyes bright and eager to feast upon their sweet treats. It was easy to see the joy the pigs experienced. 

Watching these happy individuals, it’s hard not to feel a pang of hurt for all of the hundreds of thousands of animals who don’t get to experience moments of happiness like these. In laboratories, pigs and other animals are not only without love and care, but met with active cruelty and pain. 

The July 7th, 2015 rescue of those 31 lab-used pigs remains the largest of its kind to this date, to the best of our knowledge. Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary played a big part in this rescue, putting New Life in touch with the laboratory and also fostering half of the pigs while New Life built a barn big enough to house all our snout-nosed new residents. Harvest Home even kept two of the curly-tailed girls! The National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) helped fund the building of the new pig barn and enclosure. 

With the work of these organizations, these sweet pigs were saved from certain death and given their Life After Labs. Many of the girls are still alive and thriving at New Life, being cared for compassionately and attentively in their old age.

Were they left in laboratories, they never would have reached old age at all.

In the three years since I first met guinea pigs, rats, bunnies, llamas, mini cows, cats, dogs, chickens, guinea fowl, peacocks, and more at New Life, I’ve gone from ardent admirer to copywriter to adoption coordinator to board member. At every step of the way, being part of New Life Animal Sanctuary means holding both happiness and hurt in your heart – happiness at seeing laboratory-used animals living out such delightful and meaningful lives, and hurt seeing these individuals and knowing so many of their kin will never have these experiences, despite being just as smart, sweet, and deserving. 

Of course the most direct way to support our rescue missions – past and future – is with a monetary donation. Times are hard for us, but we know they’re hard for you, too. So another amazing way to support us? SHOP CRUELTY FREE! You can help lab-used animals in your personal life with the choices you make. Buy products with the Leaping Bunny or PETA-approved bunny symbols – other “rabbit” logos or simply the words “cruelty free” are unregulated claims and may or may not be true, unfortunately. Participate in campaigns to pass anti-animal testing legislation whenever possible. You can help spread awareness by telling others of the plight of lab exploited animals. 

Some people don’t appreciate what they think of as “lab” animals like rats and guinea pigs. I (Maggie) personally have kept rats as companion animals for twenty years, so I not only think of rats as “not gross,” they’re my favorite animal. But for people who don’t share my affection for rodents… you can let them know that in 2025 according to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, 42,880 dogs and 12,004 cats were used in laboratory testing. Many of them were involved in experiments involving pain without the use of pain medication, according to labs’ official reports. I find that even people otherwise disinterested in preventing animal cruelty perk up when cats and dogs are mentioned. 

As we celebrate the rescue of our pigs, we remember all the animals who aren’t as fortunate. BUT! We also do celebrate! Every victory is meaningful. Every single animal saved is worthy and special. Each individual life after labs is a joy – for them and for those of us who get to witness it.

We thank you for any and all support of our sanctuary’s mission of rescue and education,

Maggie, New Life Animal Sanctuary volunteer (and her rescue rats!)

The remaining lab-rescued pigs (senior citizens each one of them!) enjoyed a midnight-feast of Watermelon on their anniversary rescue date recently, July 6, 2026, and although the volunteers at New Life were unable to throw a big party this year, the pigs were pampered and adored as they should be!