LUBBOCK, Texas — Megan Tisler wants to change the negative stigma when it comes to pigs and educate the community on how beneficial they can be to you or your family. As she began her interview with EverythingLubbock.com, her emotional pig was already at work.
“I am nervous right now; do you see how she is paying attention to me? She knows, she senses it,” Tisler said.
Megan Tisler has cared for 6month old Charlotte since she was born, and began noticing how attentive the pig was when she experiences panic attacks as a result or anxiety.
“So, I started doing research and my therapist wrote me a letter stating that Charlotte showed empathy and recognized my problems and was supporting me and that was the first step,” Tisler said.
Tisler began taking Charlotte through trainings and is currently in the process of completing the American Mini Pig Association Therapy program.
According to Emotional Support Animals of America, pigs have become increasingly popular in recent years, and they are labeled as clever, well behaved and sociable.
“Everything that you can teach a four-year-old, and every emotion that a four-year-old has this pig has,” Tisler said. “There is a reason they use pig valves in human hearts. We are very compatible mentally and somewhat physically.”
Charlotte knows how to do 31 commands.
“Charlotte has buttons that I have taught her to use so she can communicate with me,” Tisler said. She has one that says, I’m hungry please and then she has two other ones that says cranberry or vegetable. She has one that says pay attention to me please and that’s whenever she wants love.”
Love is something Charlotte has been giving out around the Lubbock community with her visit to the Garrison Nursing home and her trip today to the news station.
“Most pigs don’t mind kisses, but she does not like that, Tisler said. “We had an elderly woman that had dementia that got right in her face and Charlotte knew it and just let her do it.”
Charlotte will also begin visiting schools at the end of the year.
Tisler says her goal is to start a nonprofit with her husband where veterans can get a support pig for free of charge and experience this type of companionship.
If you are interested in the pig coming to your school or nursing home, you can contact Westtexasminipigs@gmail.com or 706-631-1230.
