A not so miniature pig named Bubba is a miracle flood survivor, finding refuge in his owner's lounge room as waters ripped a path across their Sancrox property, west of Port Macquarie on NSW's North Coast.
The four-year-old Berkshire pig was hand-raised by Steve Hurrell and the pair have an unshakeable bond.
Bubba was purchased in Armidale on New Year's Eve in 2017. He was sold as a 'miniature pig'.
He came home to Port Macquarie and became part of the family, raised alongside a kelpie dog named Bolt.
As flood waters rose on March 19, Mr Hurrell and partner Louise Fleming were evacuated from their property along the Hastings River at about 10pm.
Before leaving, Mr Hurrell used a nearby bobcat to tear down a section of fencing to release Bubba, knowing that the decision would likely not have a happy ending.
"One of the only things I could think to do was grab a bobcat to rip off the door of his pen, otherwise he would have drowned as the flood waters rose," Mr Hurrell said.
"He is a good mate. I talk to him in the morning and at night when I feed him. I go to the grower's market to buy fruit and veges for him."
The family returned by boat on Saturday to discover almost two metres of water had risen around the house.
Ms Fleming said the flood water had engulfed the street, chook pens and risen by 1.75 metres.
"We thought Bubba may have floated away down the river or got caught in a fence. But as we were in the boat checking on the house at the front, the door was hanging open and I thought someone had broken in," she said.
"Looking through the door, Bubba was standing on the lounge room floor very confused about all the water.
"He had busted through a high tensile gauze door to get in and was just standing there looking at us as if to say 'where have you guys been?'."
Mr Hurrell said Bubba had found safety in the house despite only having lived inside for the first month of his life.
"He had kept it tidy and he was clean because of the rain. He could have knocked things over but he is quite gentle," he said.
"He just knew that's where he wanted to be, inside the house and he didn't even raid the cupboards or anything.
"I didn't expect him to be here because there was only the house surrounded by water so he didn't have much to aim for in the dark when we got evacuated out of here. I was really surprised."
Robert Dougherty
Port Macquarie News/Camden Haven Courier journalist. Have a story to share? contact me at rob.dougherty@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Port Macquarie News/Camden Haven Courier journalist. Have a story to share? contact me at rob.dougherty@austcommunitymedia.com.au
