Luke is Now an Official LAPS Member

Please welcome our newest member, Luke, weighing in at exactly 3lbs.

Here's what his mom, Janet, had to say about Luke:

"Luke is 1 year, 4 months old and is proud to be a LAPS pig. He has lived in his forever home since June 2008. Before that, Luke was in a pet store and lived with his brother. I was sure that he would be adopted with his brother, but the months came and went. His brother was purchased, leaving Luke rehomed with a boar who bullied him. He had numerous bite marks and frayed ears, and was scared to death. When Luke came home, we took him to the vet for various medications/treatments, and we gave him "spa treatments" consisting of oatmeal baths to soothe his wounds. His fur was very thin and non-existent in places and he wasn't very big. This is why we're exceptionally excited that he is a LAPS pig. He loves to run and play hide-and-go-seek in his playpen and enjoys eating carrots and apples more than anything. He used to jump on top of his pigloo, but now he seems to be too heavy to do that. Come to think of it, he barely fits in his pigloo and now needs a bigger one. Even though he is a big boy, he still acts like a baby and loves to be picked up and carried about the house. He enjoys cuddling with Mommy Slave, watching TV with Daddy Slave, and monitoring the activities of his sisters, Lily and Isabel, with whom he shares the "piggie nursery." "

Welcome to LAPS Luke!

Mourning the Loss of Our President, Daisy

I apologize for the delay in posting this obituary. Writing this makes what happened real and that makes this pig very heavyhearted. In August of last year, our dearest President, Daisy, passed away. She leaves behind a wake of sadness here at the LAPS headquarters. As we mourn, let's also celebrate her life. She was a fantastic pig and has left with us some really nice memories.

Daisy became a LAPS member in November of 2006. Daisy loved eating. Rumor has it, she especially liked grass and cucumbers. Daisy's love for eating made her beautiful silver agouti rex fur glow. But Daisy wasn't just beautiful on the outside, she was also beautiful on the inside: she had a very big heart. Many don't know that when Daisy was just a young pig, she cared for her older cagemate Nova. Nova was a very small piggy and suffered from brain damage at birth. Nova needed a quiet, safe environment and Daisy proved to be the perfect roommate. Plus, they shared the same hobby: eating. During the Piggy Olympigs, Daisy continued her role as caretaker. She volunteered to be a security guard with Lady Bug. Together they kept the rowdy, carrot beer loving pigs, safe during their stay in Lake Elsinore. She even helped her brothers practice for their Sumo wrestling event. She let them lift her in order to build their muscles. Daisy was very well trusted and loved in the LAPS community. It's the reason she was made Vice President of LAPS in July of 2007 and then President in December.

I flew to England on Pig Air (Daisy loved flying Pig Air) to talk to Daisy's mother, Penny. She had these nice words to say about our beloved President.

"Daisy came to be a Piggyfriend four years ago after I read an ad in a local free paper. "Good homes needed for hedgehog lookalikes". A population explosion among someone's rexes resulted in tiny babes needing homes. Daisy and her litter brother, Roscoe, came home as tiny grey spiky pompons. My late SCAMP Nova had recently lost her companion, Squirrel, so I put little Daisy in with her. Some of you may remember my Nova, a tiny piggy herself and I have a photo of them together when Daisy was 16 weeks old showing that they are the same size. I never suspected quite how large Daisy would become but she grew and grew into a large and gracious presence, always watchful for her tiny friend. I enjoyed writing stories about her as security pig at the Olympigs and hostess for Lady Bug's virtual birthday party. For all her size, she was quite a shy girl and I'm not sure that she would have, in real life, have made speeches and announcements as LAPS President. She just preferred to get on with that all important eating and loved a cuddle.

She lost her dear little friend, Nova, in February this year but found friendship with Hope and Satin, who lived next door in a big divided pen, divided only because Nova could not stand a crowd. She had a nasty bladder infection earlier this year but had recovered well from that when it seemed that she had somehow poked her eye. A course of eye cream was not helping and then the area below her eye became swollen. She had to go to the vet, where she was diagnosed as having a tumour. The vet tried to remove it but when he had anaesthetised her, it was apparent to him that it was inoperable as it had spread around behind her eye and into her nasal cavities. He asked if he should let her go on the table but up until that day she had not seemed to be in any pain and was eating up as usual so I asked to bring her home to spend what time she had left here with her friends. So he stitched her up again and she returned home. She never seemed to notice the problem with her eye and I hoped that she would have a while left to her. She carried on eating well and never lost any weight. I had pain meds ready if they were needed but she was eating up so well that she seemed to be pain free. On the morning of the 1st. August, she appeared to be fast asleep, snuggled in her hay pile, but she had left us peacefully in the night. I know I did the right thing in bringing her home to spend her last days amongst her piggy pals.

She would have approved of Orinoco taking over as LAPS President as, before becoming a Surrey Squeaker, she belonged to Peter Gurney. I always used to read out his View from the Pen, in which his group of sows discussed piggy matters on his website and I think that he would have liked the idea of LAPS. There is a very large gap in the Piggyfriends group where Daisy used to be but, at least, Hope and Satin still have each other for company. The tears well up when I look at Roscoe. They were so alike, both silver agouti rex but Daisy had a small crest on her head. She is buried in the herb garden next to Mayflower and next spring I will sow parsley over their graves. R.I.P. lovely Daisy. Leave some of that luscious grass at the Rainbow Bridge for the other piggies."

Penny, thank you for sharing your story of Daisy with us. She will be sorely missed but always remembered! Our thoughts, prayers and piggy hugs go out to you and the rest of the Piggyfriends.

Introducing Fugly as an Official LAPS Member

Drum roll please......... Please Welcome the Infamously Handsome Fugly into the LAPS family!

Fugly has been an official LAPS member since July 2008 weighing in at exactly 3lbs. This coming February, Fugly will be 2 years old. He enjoys sleeping, running during his evening free range time, going on virtual adventures with Igor and the Pirate piggies, balancing food on his nose, and of course, eating. His favorite foods are fresh hay, parsley bells, beetroot and peppers. He also loves eating fresh grass during the warmer months. I know he's quite handsome lady LAPS piggies but he's taken. His heart belongs to the bewitching Samantha. From the smile on his face, he looks quite smitten.

Bertie is a LAPS Pig!

It's official. Bertie has become a LAPS pig weighing in at 3lbs. 1oz. Wowzers!

Bertie (short for Bertrand) joined the Guinea Pig Daily Digest group in September 2008 when he was adopted by his mom Leah and sister Princess Snowflake. Bertie is originally from West Virginia but is finding life in North Carolina much more to his liking. He enjoys hanging out with his playful sister and of course, eating!

Warm Welcomes To Our Newest LAPS Member, Frodo!

Please welcome Frodo to our prestigious piggy club. This two and half year old weighs a whopping 3lbs and 1oz. As many of you know, Frodo is a member of the infamous Piggyfriends just like our President, Daisy. Daisy recently interviewed Frodo and here is his story.

Daisy: All of us here at Piggyfriends know your story but would you mind retelling it for our readers?

Frodo: I'd be honoured but I think that we should tell everyone that mine is a scary story and might not be suitable for little piglets to read.

Daisy: So, how did you come to be a Piggyfriend?

Frodo: When I was a piglet, I was in a horrible place called a Pet Shop. I was going to be put to sleep because I have an extra toe on a hind foot but a kind lady heard about me and called her friend, Chris, who happens to be the Piggyfriends' rodentologist. She asked her if she knew of someone who could take in an extra piggy.

Luckily for me, our slave was at Chris's house at the time that she made the call and she said that there was always room for another Piggyfriend. So this kind lady bought me and took me to her home. I stayed with her until she could drive me to Chris's house. After I was given a thorough health check and lots of cuddles, our slave came and brought me home. That was in October 2005.

Our slave named me after the hero of her favourite ever book. He also escaped certain death through the intervention of a good friend.

I am not the only piggy here that has an extra toe as our matriarch, Pansy, is the same.

When I first arrived here I lived with my friend, Maple, but sadly he has gone to the Bridge so my best friend now is Halloween, who also came from a nasty home. I used to run around a lot with Maple but Halloween is an older piggy and we tend to sit around eating a lot of the time, which has probably caused me to reach LAPS weight.

My favourite food is grass and I also enjoy tomatoes, apple, romaine, melon and cucumbers. I like it in the summer when our slave forages for fresh tasty weeds and I just love chickweed and sow thistle. I also love the contents of the dry food bowl and wheek loudly at the slave when it needs refilling.

Daisy: Thank you Frodo. Keep munching and welcome to LAPS.

A Sad Farewell to Jimmy Jr.

With a heavy heart, I must post that our 2nd LAPS President and 1st Vice President, Jimmy Jr., passed away on December 31, 2007. Although I am not sure of his exact age, past GPDD posts indicate that he was around 7 years old. He leaves behind his devoted slave, Birdie, his male pal, Spunky and two sow pals, Miss Pooky and Miss Perky. Please accept our deepest sympathies for your loss and may you be comforted by the many wonderful memories that you shared with him.

I bet many of you LAPS piggies have wondered how Jimmy became a Jr. Well, let's solve the mystery. When Birdie quit her job a few years back, she was given a very furry going away present - Jimmy Jr. who was ironically named after her boss - Jimmy.

The love of Jimmy Jr.'s life was Blondie. When Mommy Birdie brought home two female piggies: Blondie and Little One, Jimmy Jr. instantly bonded with Blondie. It's wasn't long after that Blondie became pregnant. Sadly, all four babies were stillborn. It would have been so cute to see a Jimmy the 3rd, 4th, 5th or possible 6th! No doubt he's playing with them (and his love Blondie) in heaven, over that rainbow bridge.

One of Jimmy Jr.'s favorite treats was celery. He loved it so much that he used his super piggy strength to pull it into his reach, sometimes taking his slave's hand with it. There was a point when he wouldn't accept any other food until Mommy slave brought him celery. Birdie finally named him the Celery Stalker. Jimmy Jr. was also known for his stink bombs. As many of you LAPS piggies know, the foods we eat can make us, well .... gassy. Jimmy Jr. was no stranger to this problem but he knew how to disguise it. He would relieve his gas and maintain an innocent face towards his slave as to blame it on his bud Spunky. Sneaky but crafty!

Jimmy Jr. became an official LAPS member and Vice President on November 18, 2006. He took over as President after Juliet, our first LAPS President, passed away in May 2007. Jimmy Jr. made his first official debut as President at the Pig Olympics held in Lake Elsinore. He also starred in many of the events: tug of war, soccer, sumo wrestling, rumblestrutting contest, poo contest, cage biting contest, celery pulling, piggy train, the cilantro pull and the longest nap. However, the real juicy news happened after the events were over. Jimmy Jr. seemed to guzzle a little too much carrot beer. In fact, he almost got his toe nails painted by L'il Miz Moppit and Ladybug and Buzzere.

Jimmy Jr. started losing weight a couple of months ago because of digestive problems. Jimmy Jr. resigned his presidency back in November. With such a stellar reputation as a leader, he was quickly snatched up by the Tiny But Sweet group of piggies that are 3lbs and under. After rejecting their offer as President, he became the group's wise adviser.

Jimmy Jr., we're going to miss you. You were a wonderful leader and friend. We loved hearing your stories. You're memory will forever live among LAPS.

Please Welcome Our Newly Elected Vice President Orinoco!

It's official - Orinoco is our new Vice President!

Ironically, this announcement is being made on the one year anniversary of Orinoco becoming a LAPS member. Back then, she weighed 3lbs. Now she weighs a proud 3lbs. 3oz.

Orinoco will be a wonderful leader. As a baby she was raised by the infamous guinea pig whisper - Peter Gurney. After Peter made his journey to care for those piggies over the rainbow bridge, Orinoco was adopted by Stefanie and became an official member of the Surrey Squeakers. Shortly after, Orinoco surprised her new mommy with five little pups. Both her wisdom and maternal skills will make us all a better group of ample piggies.

Congratulations Orinoco! Speech! Speech! Speech! Maybe it's time for me to book a trip via Pig Air to Surrey, England.

Update (January 12, 2008): All Stand for the honorable Miss Orinoco!

Hello to all piggies and their slaves worldwide! My name is Orinoco and I have just been officially named as the new vice-president of LAPS. Thank you Hamlet for your touching biography of me on the LAPS web site. I hope I can be as good a vice-president as you are a secretary and I will do my very best to assist Daisy Piggyfriend (President). I am also very honored that you, Hamlet, will be visiting me in Surrey, England. I will open a bottle of the carrot wine that the Piggyfriends had at New Year and celebrate with you. I am so happy - first I find out that I am a calendar girl, and then I hold a position of responsibility in LAPS! 2008 will be a good year. I would like to thank various people who have helped me get where I am today. Firstly, Peter Gurney. I don't know where I was before I lived with him, but his was the first home I remember and he clearly gave me a good start in life. Secondly, my slave. She provides the large amounts of food necessary to maintain my ample size. Thirdly, but by no means least, my fellow Squeakers. They generously share all the food so none of us ever go short. So please celebrate with me and keep eating lots and lots so we can increase the membership.

Love, best wishes and thanks from Orinoco

Orinoco, I enjoyed visiting you in the beautiful Surrey, England. It was a great surprise to see our President, Miss Daisy, there as well. I had a grand time sipping carrot wine with you and Daisy. It was so delicious and might I add that I'm glad that I wasn't piloting Pig Air. :-) After visiting our two lovely leaders, I am extremely confident that our LAPS group is in good paws.

Farewell to a Fellow Friend

Chester (April 2004 - December 2007)

We have lost yet another dear friend, Chester of the Jolly Rodents. Chester made his journey towards the Rainbow Bridge a week before Christmas. He was three years and seven months young.

Chester enjoyed the life that most cavies envy thanks to his devoted slave, Alge, and his wise teachers, the three original Jolly Rodents: Ebeneezer Wooly Bear, Wilson and Mr. Cooders. Alge first adopted Chester in April of 2004 from an Ohio rescue with his buddy Charlie. After a year of Jolly Rodents Jr. classes, instructed by the wise Ebeneezer, Wilson and Cooders, Chester (and his buddy Charlie) graduated with a much coveted Jolly Rodents degree. He went on to graduate school and received a masters in the art of being a large and ample pig. He was by far one of our most educated LAPS piggies.

Chester was an exemplary LAPS member as he tipped the scale at 3 and 1/2 lbs. He used his intelligence, good looks and charm to court some of the popular ladies on the GPDD, namely Peaches and Diamond. And of course who could forget how Chester shined at the Pig Olympics held at Lake Elsinore last year. He participated and succeeded in 6 events (sumo wrestling, house tossing, baseball, cage biting, tug of war and eating your own body weight in hay.)

Chester's best buddy in the world was Charlie - also a LAPS member. They shared many of their life experiences together. They were adopted together, popcorned and rumblestrutted around together as pups, attended Jolly Rodent Jr. classes together, joined the same clubs (LAPS), lived in adjoining condos, went on double dates and recently, even acted together (in dresses no less :-).

We know that the hearts of his slave Alge and his bud Charlie are heavy right now. We want to send you our love and support during this sad time. Chester's legacy will live for a long time as you have shared many of his wonderful memories with us.

Welcome Misty!

Let's make a toast (carrot juice) to Misty, our newest LAPS member! Misty celebrated the New Year by joining our group. She is 2 years and 2 months old and weighs a beautiful 3lbs. 1oz.

Miss Misty, you will like our first lady, President Daisy. She looks so much like you.

Update (January 12, 2008): Well, I've been earning my frequent flyer points. I just returned from visiting Misty, our newest member. Misty was busy eating when I visited but I had a nice chat with her Mommy slave, Carole. This is what Carole had to say.

"Misty is the daughter of my beloved Spikey. Spikey was my first pig. He was so tame. He loved being stroked. He was the king of the garden. So I wanted to carry on his chain. He spent a few weeks with my friend's piggie and 2 months later along came Spikey Junior and Misty. Spikey Junior was just like his dad. I adored him. Misty is very shy. She doesn't like people or other pigs much. Unfortunately Spikey Junior died at 2. I was heart broken as I wanted to continue the chain again."

I have to agree that Misty is either super shy or very hungry. She ate the entire time I was there. The only time I heard a peep out of her was when her younger sibling, Fluffball, visited Misty in her house. Whew! You should have heard the loud squeak Misty emitted. Apparently, she doesn't like other piggies messing with her food. Her Mommy Carole thinks that she may have the loudest squeak in the world. At the next Pig Olympics, we'll have to put her to the test.

When I asked Carole if Misty ate like a pig all of the time. She replied "Yes. As for eating, she eats everything. I wouldn't trust her with my hand."

Well Misty, I think you're going to fit in fine with us LAPS members. Welcome to the group!

Congratulations Lilac!

Let's hear lots of wheeks and squeaks for our newest LAPS member - Mr. Lilac!

Lilac is a member of the infamous Story Piggies and he joins our prestigious club weighing an impressive 3lbs. 2oz.

Lilac's mom, Debra, says that Lilac "has been trying hard to make the club, and he finally made it. Lilac is a two year old lilac short haired boar that is part of the Story Piggies herd. He is a very sweet and lovable boar who likes to be held and cuddled."

Congratulations Lilac!