As far back as I can remember, I have loved pigs. The story my Grandmother would tell about her pet farm pig, George, never got old. I could picture him following her to do her chores.

In the spring of 1968, I was fortunate enough to have a vision. A glimpse of what I was supposed to do with my life. Sadly, that vision was put on hold…over and over again. The time was not right…there wasn’t enough money to get started…no property…no way it could happen people would say…always something…but I never stopped dreaming and kept hoping and praying for that dream to someday realize…that maybe someday I could achieve my goal even if only on a small scale. They say the Lord works in mysterious ways and things come to those who wait, however things will come in the Lord’s own time not ours. So I learned patience and kept dreaming. Well, life happened and continued happening.

Finally, in 1991, I went for it….somehow…someway I was going to do it. "Never give up," my Mother would say…"Go for it," my Aunt would advise. I was going to live my dream….Finally, I could give something back to God, since He had given me the gift of life with a little help from my Mom and Dad, of course.

Starting out meagerly with a small inheritance from Grandmother and the will to follow my dream and actually going for it…..I adopted a few animals with the main one being my first Vietnamese Potbellied Pig, a goat, miniature donkey and adding them to the animals I already had….I started a 501c3 (nonprofit) public service organization to interact "special pets with special people."

Cuddly Critters, Inc. was born in May of 1991 and would be a dual purpose organization; it would provide a safe haven for unwanted, abandoned and/or neglected pets, preferably Potbellied Pigs and also be used to educate the public on the ethical treatment of animals. Volunteers would give attention to these special animals and in return the animals would bless the lives of these "special people." There have been so many blessings.

Over the years, and with the need of homes for unwanted Potbellied Pigs, I found myself adopting more animals, naturally with the emphasis on Potbellied Pigs because of my love for them. My organization has grown in animals and in our fifteen years, I have seen pets come into my life and pass over the Rainbow Bridge to Heaven because of old age or sickness. Our main focus now is taking care of the existing animals until they pass over the Rainbow Bridge to Heaven. We are also taking in new animals that need our attention and help, especially the ones with “special needs” not to mention the animals that we can place directly without them coming here. ~~ Momma Suey