People the Pig Knows, and a Vet Who Knows Pigs
A Kunekune's emergency plan opens with people in the order they should be called. You first, on every number that might reach you. Then a veterinarian with genuine pig experience who has agreed beforehand to attend this animal, because a pig-experienced vet is not easy to find at short notice. Third comes a backup keeper the pig already knows and trusts, since Kunekunes bond strongly with familiar people and a known face keeps a stressful day calm. Fourth, a neighbor with fencing tools or a trailer who can be called for repairs or transport. Write one line beside each name saying what they are for, and note who may agree to a vet visit if you are completely unreachable.
Identifying This Kunekune Among Others
The identification section of a Kunekune plan matters because these pigs are often kept in pairs or small groups that look alike to a stranger. Describe this pig's color and pattern in words, black, ginger, cream, or spotted, and note whether it carries the breed's distinctive wattles under the chin, and whether both are present and even. Add ear notches, tags, or scars, the pig's size and sex, and a clear photograph showing both sides. Say which other pigs share the pasture and how this one can be told from each of them, such as being the only ginger or the one who arrives first at the gate.
Pasture, Shelter, Wallow, and Sun
A Kunekune's plan must describe its outdoor life in enough detail for a stand-in to keep it unchanged. State which pasture the pig grazes, how the rotation works if there is one, and which gates must stay chained because this pig has learned to test them. Describe the shelter and bedding, where spare bedding is stored, and how the wallow is filled, since Kunekunes rely on a wallow and shade to stay comfortable in warm weather and strong sun. Note any spot where fencing meets a road, a ditch the pig could wander into, or a tree whose fallen fruit the pig should not gorge on. Add water points and how they are filled, including what to do if a trough freezes.
Feeding Lines That Resist a Begging Pig
Feeding instructions in a Kunekune's plan need unusual firmness, because this friendly breed begs persuasively and fattens readily. Write the measured amount of feed in the scoop or bucket actually used, the times it is given, and a direct instruction that grazing is the main diet and extras are not part of the plan, however hopeful the pig looks. Say where the feed is stored and that the store must stay shut, since a Kunekune who reaches the bin will not stop at one meal. Note any foods kept on the holding that this pig must never be given, and the signs of a pig who has overeaten or eaten something unsuitable, with the instruction to call the vet contact at once. Keep the language kind but unambiguous.
Down Pig, Broken Fence, or Heatwave: The Response Lines
Close a Kunekune plan with short lines for the moments that actually occur. For a pig found lying apart from its companions, off its food, or reluctant to rise: keep it shaded and undisturbed, offer water within reach, and phone the vet first and the owner second. For an escape or broken fence: name the helpers, and instruct them to tempt the pig home with its feed bucket and a board to guide it, never to pull it by an ear or leg, and never to chase it toward a road. For a heatwave: state who will check the wallow and water twice daily and where extra shade netting is stored. Refresh the plan whenever the pig's pasture, companions, or keeper change, and talk it through with the backup keeper at the pig's own gate. Storing the call order, identification notes, and feeding rules in the Kunekune's KinsLe Care Pass puts the entire plan in a stand-in keeper's hands before they ever reach the pasture.