THE PIGFATHER’S MINIATURE PIGS: ABOUT US
Micro Pigs for Hire in London! The Pigfather is a family run business, based in Wimbledon, London. We are passionate about promoting therapeutic and positive relationships between people and animals. With decades of professional experience of working with a wide variety of animals as well as people in caring settings, we strive to inspire mutual kindness, understanding and respect through offering a number of Miniature Pig Mobile Farm Services which are tailored to specific needs and events.
We are currently only a Mobile Miniature Pig Farm and do not offer onsite visits at present.
Occasionally, as part of our Therapy Training business we have Miniature Piglets for Sale! More information about buying a piglet from us can be found on our Buying a Miniature Piglet page.
Our personal experience with children with profound learning difficulties, mental health issues, severe epilepsies and autism as well as many years of working with ill and vulnerable patients and animals and seeing therapeutic effects of human-animal relationships is what inspired us to start The Pigfather. We wanted to share the love of these amazing, sensitive and intelligent animals with other people.
Read our Story: https://www.thepigfather.co.uk/piggy-pet-story
We are the First company in the UK to have our mini pigs trained under a Mini Pig Therapy Pet Certification Programme accredited by the AMPA!
Recent Blog Posts about Miniature Pigs
Mental Health Awareness Week/The Role of Therapy Miniature Pigs
Every Year Mental Health Awareness Week highlights the importance of good mental health. Find out how our Therapy Trained Miniature Pigs can help.
How to Trim Pigs’ Hooves
Learn how to trim your Pet Miniature Pig’s Hooves. We will show you why, how and when to trim the hooves of your Pet Miniature Pig.
The Life of a Piglet: From Birth to Weaning. Part 3
Welcome to Part 3 of our Series. We will be discussing the life of a Miniature Piglet at weaning and beyond. Join us on this exciting adventure!
The Life of a Piglet: From Birth to Weaning. Part 2
Learn Interesting Miniature Pig Facts. In Part 2 we discuss Miniature Piglet development, Nutrition and sense of smell from 3 -6 weeks of age.
The Life of a Piglet: From Birth to Weaning. Part 1
Join our Part 1 of Miniature Pig Educational Series and learn how piglets grow and develop.
Meet Our Team
Romeo Corleone
I am Romantic and Gentle by Nature and have taken a very special place in The Pigfather’s family since my arrival. My human parents have allocated an important role for me – to become The Father of the future Therapy Pigs! Wow, what an incredible mission and the one i am honoured to fulfill! Aside from this serious staff, I thought you might like to find out that I have a very sweet tooth and love anything sweet, and that includes my playmates Biscuit and Popcorn (not for dinner, of course!)
Popcorn Corleone
Hello! I am Popcorn, a new baby boy on the block! My twin brother Biscuit and I are “Double Trouble”! We have very similar markings and even my mamma had trouble getting our names right at first!
I love running around my cosy outdoor pen and occasionally bump into Busicuit who then starts running away from me, it’s a Piglet’s version of “It”! I love it.
Apart from my chasing games I do love cuddles with the children and my human mamma. Nothing beats curling up on someone’s lap and falling asleep being wrapped in a warm blanket. Oh, my new adventures have began!
Did you know that i have a rare quality – I smell of Maple Syrup! Apprently, due to a genetic variation, some piggies have this amazing scent and I am lucky to be one of those rare ones! My family doesn’t complain!
I have been a star in a recent Hendrics Gin Promotional Video! Find our more…
More pictures of me and my twin can be found on The Gallery page. Happy viewing!
Biscuit Corleone
I am the most sweet and adorable little baby boy! In addition to being sweet, i actually prefer to eat things that are sweet (like bananas and raspberries!). The yukky things like salad leaves and coconut are not for me! Luckily, my twin brother Popcorn hoovers them up, leaving me to enjoy the foods i like the most!
You will hear a lot about me as i embark on my training journey to become a Therapy Pig, what a big responsibility!
Holly Corleone
Holly is our recent addition to the Corleone family. Being our smallest piglet, she weighs just 8 kg at the age of 12 months! But she certainly makes up for it by her brave spirit! She lovels her twin sister Polly despite the occasional argument, and together they take Rumfield on!
Holly is a very busy young lady travelling from party to party and enjoying all the attention and tummy scratches she can get! It’s a tiring job being a party piglet!
She has been a star in a recent promotional video for LAD Bible! More details coming soon!
Polly Corleone (Apollonia)
I am Holly’s twin sister and i am a very adorable miniature piglet. Like Holly, i love my special cuddles and tummy tickles and i could sit on your lap for hours watching TV, like i do every evening!
My cuddly looks is not all! I am a very clever little piglet and have already learned many tricks of the trade on my Mini Pig Therapy Course. If you book me for your party or a special event you could see this for yourself!
I have been a star in some promotional videos for companies such as LADBible and have even starred in a Sky TV Series 2 Play Your Pets Right (Episode 4) ! I have been crowned a Super Pet as I completed a challenge in less than 30 sec!
My name is Michael Corleone, but they call me “Mikey” for short. Although I do not come from Sicily I love my healthy Mediterranean diet and the sun on my back, whenever we get it in this rainy country of ours.
Loving nothing more than cuddles and belly scratches, tasty treats are my other favourite. I love making people feel happy and if you contact my daddy, I will personally make sure he makes you an offer you cannot refuse!
Together with the rest of the mafia pigs, I will be frequently featuring on social media, so you can always follow what I get up to on all my adventures; have a happy browsing! I turned 2 years old in January 2020!
Sunny Corleone
This is Sunny Corleone – the cheekiest member of the Corleone family. They call me “Bossy Boots” for a reason – I boss all the other pigs around, especially at meal times, because I like all the food to myself! I still do this now that I am 2 years of age! (January 2020)
But, there is a softer touch to me too – when my belly is full, I become the cuddliest pig around! You can find that out for yourself when you book me for your next event!
I am officially the main character at The Pigfather! Everything revolves around me and must be approved by me beforehand! I am a star in a series of FlareGames Tap Empire Mobile Game Series! Find our more about my adventures here....
Connie Corleone
My name is Connie Corleone! I am a very gentle piggy and I love my two brothers, Mikey and Sunny, who keep me company and give me protection.
I love to chase Sunny when he is munching on his favourite treats which gives him much-needed exercise! I am the luckiest girl in the family as all the boys simply adore me, especially Mr Rumfield and Romeo!
I turn 2 years of age in February 2020 and I am now more beautiful than ever!
Mr Rumfield
Hello, I am Mr Rumfield, or “Chubby” for short, an 83kg Great Swiss Mountain Dog. In my spare time I love to chase foxes, but when I am working my duties include making sure that I eat first and to keep an eye on those naughty little piglets as well as Mikey, Sunny and Connie, which I have mastered by having eyes at the back of my head. Above all, I love Friday nights when I sit with my daddy by the couch and we share a delicious kebab! Yum, Yum! Can’t wait for the weekend.
P.S. I turned 4 in November 2019! Where does the time go!
Shaun
They call me “The Boss” or the “Pig Father”! With experience of running a business I am the Mastermind of all operations within The Pigfather, particularly taking care of Marketing and Finances. If you contact me, I can make you an offer you cannot refuse!
Natasha – My Qualifications
- MSc Horticulture (Crop Production Technology and Global Trade) (Merit)
- Dip (HE) Adult Nursing (Foundation Degree) (Senior Sister)
- BTEC First Diploma Small Animal Care (Distinction)
- BTEC National Diploma Farm and Exotic Animal Care (Distinction)
- RCVS Diploma Veterinary Nursing (Qualified Veterinary Nurse) (Distinction)
- SPCT Diploma Diabetes Management
- SPCT Diploma Asthma and COPD Management
- AMPA Certificate Miniature Pig Therapy Pet Training
- LHH Certificate Homeopathy in Primary Care
- SPCT Certificate Health Care Assistant
- SPCT Certificate Childhood Immunisations
- SPCT Certificate Travel Health
- SPCT Certificate Ear Health and Syringing
- SPCT Certificate Women’s Health and Cervical Cytology
- SPCT Certificate Cardiac Care and ECG
- SPCT Certificate Wound Management and Doppler Ultrasound
- SPCT Certificate in Palliative Care
- RHS Certificates (Level 2, Level 3) Horticulture, Planning and Construction, Garden Design and Propagation
My Animal Background
Growing up I was always surrounded by the love of my pets and from a very young age I already knew that I wanted to work with animals. Together with Maria I trained for 3 years at Bicton College of Agriculture and was awarded two BTEC Diplomas, in Small Animal Care and in Farm and Exotic Animal Care on Distinction. I had life changing experiences working on a variety of farms (commercial outdoor pig rearing farm, Great Potheridge farm, lambing and fostering lambs, and a dairy farm), Wood Green Animal Shelters, West Midlands Safari Park and Cotsworld Wildlife Park, London Zoo Reptile House, kennels and catteries across the country as well as the RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre and the Cornish Seal Sanctuary.
I then decided to study further and trained for 2 years at Berkshire College of Agriculture and became a RCVS certified Veterinary Nurse. However, due to the changes in my personal circumstances, after 10 years of working in several veterinary clinics and hospitals across the country caring for domestic and wild animals, I left Veterinary Nursing and enrolled onto DipHE Adult Nursing at Kingston University working part-time as an agency Health Care Assistant in nursing and elderly homes, hospitals, hospices and homes for people with learning difficulties.
The Nursing Background
Having re-trained as an Adult Nurse, I initially worked in the community looking after house bound patients, and later became a Practice Nurse-Seniour Sister, managing patients with various health problems. I completed a Diploma in Diabetes Management in Primary Care and received a number of other Diplomas and Certificates in Child Immunisations, Asthma and COPD Management, Travel Health and Women’s Health, Palliative and Cardiac Care. Seeing a lot of distress on a daily basis, I realised that it was simple things in life that made a big difference to how people felt. Kind words, holding someone’s hand and spending a few minutes listening to them, was better medicine than drugs for many people and this is what made me truly happy. I was also interested in Complimentary Therapies and gained a Certificate in Homeopathy in Primary Care at London Homeopathic Hospital and used this knowledge to help my patients.
My children were born a few years and as I always loved learning I continued to study, concentrating on the environment and nature. I successfully completed several RHS Certificates in horticulture, planning and construction and garden design at levels 2 and 3 (Merrist Wood College, Kingston College and ADL college) and in 2017 I graduated from Writtle University College with a Master’s Degree in Crop Production (Arable and Horticultural), Technology and Global Trade with a Merit.
These studies enabled me to understand that there is an important relationship between the environment and the health of both people and animals. Respect of natural resources and of animals can bring great benefits to the society and health of our nation as a whole with sustainable management of ecosystems of land being paramount for the health of both crops and livestock……
But most importantly, I realised that I wanted to go back to work alongside animals again and bring happiness and joy to all those in need of love and laughter and I sincerely hope that my life experiences and qualifications can enhance this journey.
Maria – My Qualifications
- PgCert Personalised Nutrition (Functional Medicine, Longevity, Epilepsy and Research) Middlesex University (Merit)
- CNM Diploma Naturopathy (Homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine/Ear Acupuncture and Herbs)
- CNM Diploma Nutritional Therapy (Naturopathic Nutrition)
- BANT (British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine) Full Member
- BANT Certificate Nutrigenomics
- BANT Certificate Principles of Functional Medicine and Functional Testing 1
- IFM Certificate Introduction to Functional Nutrition: Clinical Solutions for Addressing the Underlying Causes of Disease
- Conferences Certificates:
- · From Autism to Alzheimer’s: The Diagnosis and Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Disease in the 21 century
- · Functional Medicine Approach to Mental Health
- · International Autism Conference
- SH Certificate in Methylation and Clinical Nutrigenomics Part I and Part II (Distinction)
- Dip (HE) Adult Nursing (Foundation Degree) (Community Nurse)
- Dogs for Good Family Dog Service Workshops (Dog Training for children with Autism/ASD)
- BTEC Diploma Small Animal Care (Distinction)
- BTEC National Diploma Farm and Exotic Animal Care (Distinction)
- RCVS Diploma Veterinary Nursing (Qualified Veterinary Nurse) (Distinction)
Mum to a Special Girl
Most importantly I am a mum to a very special girl with severe epilepsy syndrome and profound learning difficulties and a son with a great passion and love for animals. They have taken me on a journey of discovery that animals can give us immense joy, meaning and purpose in life despite its challenges. And they can be the key to health despite our genetic blueprint for disease.
My background is coloured with animals and studies about them and their health and illness. I graduated from Bicton College of Agriculture and hold 3 year full time 2 BTEC National Diplomas in Animal Care and Husbandry and Bee keeping with Distinction (Zoo, Farm, Domestic, Wildlife and Rehabilitation, Rescue and Shelter and Pet shop animals). My training was with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and Berkshire College of Agriculture for 2 years and hold a Diploma in Veterinary Nursing with a 10 year small and wild animal experience. The places I worked at include: Small animal veterinary centres, Wood Green Animal Shelters, Great Potheridge Farm with full lambing and fostering responsibilities, Cotswold Wildlife Park (exotic animals), equine veterinary clinic (horses), West Midlands Safari Park (wild animal reserves and reptiles including venomous), RSPCA Animal Hospitals (Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre (wild animals and stray cat unit), Cornish Sea Sanctuary (rescue, care and rehabilitation), Outdoor pig rearing unit (piglet husbandry and management) and London Zoo Reptile House.
Later on I went on to study human diseases and trained to be an Adult Nurse at Kingston University (DipHE Nursing) UK and worked in many hospitals and community caring for very ill people, including a Brain injury and rehabilitation hospital, Neuromedicine ward, community mental health units and secure learning difficulties hospitals, cardiac and catheter laboratory theatres and kidney (peritoneal and haemo) dialysis units, eye surgery (ophthalmology ward) department and Intensive Care, Ventilation Unit and A&E. I also worked at residential and nursing homes caring for people affected by dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Naturopathy Studies
The life journey took my interest to Naturopathy (Homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic herbs) and Nutritional Therapy and I obtained Naturopathy and Naturopathic Nutritional Therapy Diplomas. I became interested in the Functional Medicine approach to health and illness and went on to study one year Master’s degree level in Personalised Nutrition based on Functional medicine approach (healthcare, research, nutrition and longevity) and graduated at Middlesex University.
My search for health took me on another journey of discovering how our genetic information can be affected by our environment and nutrients. I completed courses in Methylation and Clinical Nutrigenomics and hold Methylation and Clinical Nutrigenomics Certificate and successfully passed the Nutrigenomics Test with British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT) (British Association for Applied Nutrition and Environmental Medicine) of which I am a full member and continue to update my knowledge on the latest news in this area.
And this is where I understood how important our relationship with animals is! The positive interaction we have with pets, even if it is non-verbal, has a very beneficial effect on our health and even the health of our generation!
This is why I decided to go back and work with animals to allow other people to experience this magical “healing” potential for themselves and their children.
I have become a member of the Dogs for Good charity and have completed a series of Family Dog Service Workshops and hold a Certificate on training dogs for children with Autism and feel passionate about Pets as Therapy. My family are also borrowing dogs through Borrow My Doggy organisation, a delightful Border terrier and two loyal German Shepherds. We also share our home with two pet budgies who are “therapy” to all! There will be more coming soon!
Location
Dalton House
60 Windsor Avenue
London
SW19 2RR
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