A Hog’s Life is an Animal Rescue Farm and non-profit organsiation located in the heart of the Amatola Mountain range – Hogsback.
We rescue, rehabilitate and re-home abused, neglected and abandoned animals from the surrounding towns and villages & give many of them safe haven on our farm. We provide quality care for our animals, each animal gets vaccinated, de-wormed, treated for ticks and fleas and spayed/ neutered before it moves into a loving forever home. We provide veterinarian care/ medical treatment for animals living in the surrounding villages & are available for emergency calls. We are involved in organising spay campaigns and currently working towards our big goal to build a registered vet clinic and give people from low- & no-income families the chance to seek medical care for their pets. The clinic will be base for quarterly spay campaigns to control cat and dog overpopulation and fight against their suffering.
At A Hog’s Life, we believe in educating the local community to help make a lasting impact. Working together with the local schools and teaching the younger generations how to take care of their fur-friends is key to create a better world for animals and humans. We are currently working on a program to educate children and teenagers about a career path in Animal Welfare to give them the opportunity of future employment. Next to our vet clinic, we are planning on setting up our own education rooms to welcome students on a regular basis.
We are dedicated to helping our community, especially those who don’t have the financial means to look after their animals. Lots of villages are still without a proper water supply, which lets animals suffer as much as humans. In our community development plan, we set a goal to increase the general standard of living for local communities by providing access to basic services such as clean and running water, working toilets, quality educational material, schooling and tutors.
Some of our success stories!
Together with your help, we are working towards our goals!
Our journey first brought us to the magical little town of Hogsback back in 2015 for a trail running adventure known as “The Hobbit 100km”. We immediately fell in love with the landscape… the rolling green hills, indigenous forests, magical waterfalls and breath-taking views from the many mountain peaks. It’s said that mystical forests described in J.R.R.Tolkien’s famous trilogy, “The Lord of the Rings” was influenced by the Hogsback landscape as his son was part of the Royal Air Force in the region and sent Tolkien detailed sketches and descriptions of the Hogsback forests.
Hogsback filled our hearts like no other, but at the same time left us deeply saddened as we encountered many stray animals in horrible condition and learned about the neglect and abuse that is happening in the surrounding towns & villages.
In 2018 we were able to fulfil our dream and purchased a beautiful farm in Hogsback. In December 2018 we “moved to the mountain” (what locals like to say) and made it our new home. We partnered with Nkonkobe Animal Care in Fort Beaufort to make an even bigger impact.
In our first year, we’ve rescued and re-homed over 70 dogs, 15 cats, 20 pigs and 10 chickens and helped and assisted in many emergency cases in our surrounding area. We hope to grow these numbers a lot in the future and help as many animals as possible.
All proceeds go back into our Rescue Farm and animals. So come and support a good cause, while relaxing body and soul!
(No children & teenagers under the age of 18 / no pets)
Our Teepees are large, the footprint of each Teepee measures approx. 30m2 (6m diameter). One Teepee accommodates 2 people, so there is plenty of space for you and all your personal effects. The height of the Teepee’s measure 6m, so you’ll be able to comfortably walk around inside. It’s an incredibly unique experience to live in a Teepee and can’t be compared with camping at all!
All our 4 Teepee’s stand on raised wooden decks, each with their own bathroom facility (shower, toilet and basin) just a few meters walk away.
Inside each Teepee, you’ll find a comfortable king-size bed (great for couples) or 2 x three-quarter beds, a super comfy couch, an original Mexican Chiminea that provides an amazing atmosphere as well as plenty of warmth. Fairy lights, paraffin lamps & candles add extra Magic after the sun has set.
From the decks you will overlook our garden and property, it is the perfect spot to sunbathe during the day, or enjoy reading a book in peace and quiet. In a clear and warm night, you can gaze at a million stars while lying in your bed with the teepee flaps wide open or sitting on the deck with a nice glass of wine in your hands. To find out more please go to our website www.hogslife.co.za or find us on Facebook! Go to our website or find us on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/a.hogs.life
How can you support us?
All donations are tax-deductible, please ask us the section 18A certificate.
Meet two of our team members!
Our pig-whisperer and Malawian muscle man, nothing is too hard or heavy for him (named one of our pigs after his brother)
Kazembe
And below - founder Anke - who could spend her entire day walking dogs and eating German potato salad
Anke