Pig purchased for Christmas dinner gets new home at Santa Clarita sanctuary with 8 babies

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (KABC) -- The family of animals at the Gentle Barn Sanctuary in Santa Clarita just got a little bit bigger.

The sanctuary's founders made a 20-hour trek up to a farm in Washington to rescue a pig who was purchased to be eaten on Christmas.

However, the family decided to give the pig up when she unexpectedly gave birth to eight piglets, according to the organization's website. That's when a local rescue in Kennewick, Washington stepped in and took to social media to ask for help.

After three days on the road, the two-year-old pig and her litter now have a home in Southern California to frolic and roam free.