[imagesource: BackaBuddy]

Nine-year-old Luke Mulvey was attacked by his pet pig on September 30.

That’s him in the hospital bed above, with a splintered and fractured arm after the unusual attack.

Luke and his family had looked after the 250-kilogram sow as a pet for the last two years, describing her as “normally very friendly and placid”.

But she seemed to have felt threatened the day that Luke came to check on her and her piglets, leading her to charge him unexpectedly and throw him around like a rag doll.

The family and their pets live on a smallholding in Lovemore Park, Eastern Cape, which is where the incident occurred.

Image: BackaBuddy

Luke’s father, David Mulvey, spoke about the incident on a BackaBuddy campaign created to raise funds for his son’s hospital bills:

“She recently had babies and she didn’t mind it previously when we went in to video them. Two days later when we visited her again, it happened so very quickly and although I was right there, she got hold of his arm and shook him like a rag doll before I could do anything.”

He added that the situation “was a terrifying and traumatic experience” for both of them and that he thought that he was going to see his son killed before his eyes.

Here’s David in hospital with his son:

Image: BackaBuddy

The attack was thwarted after David grabbed the pig by the tail to pull her away from his son, but Luke was already bleeding profusely and had to be rushed to the hospital:

His left arm is badly crushed and broken and has had to be wired and plated together. His right hand was gashed and his fingers were damaged.

He has endured two surgeries so far and due to infection concerns they have not been able to close the wound. He has to go back into surgery in a few days to try again.

Overall, Luke has a long road to recovery, needing to endure four surgeries, physiotherapy, counselling, and possibly skin grafts, reported IOL.

Luke’s medical bills have exceeded R300 000, which is why the crowdfunding campaign was set up.

Unfortunately, the family had to drop their medical aid during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have expressed immense gratitude to everyone who has donated:

“Like so many, we have been struggling to make ends meet during these days of lockdown, and do not have medical aid. This is a crippling blow for us.”

“The support from everyone has been so overwhelming. We are blown away and so thankful for how generous people can be for my boy. Family members, teachers, neighbours, friends, and strangers have all stepped up to support Luke and our BackaBuddy campaign. I would be lost without their help,” the father said.

As of this afternoon, more than R48 000 has been raised.

News24 reported that Luke was out of the hospital and back at school last week.

You can check out the BackaBuddy campaign here.

[source:iol]