Meet Randolph: a sweet pig whose story is anything but ordinary.
Back in December 2025, a Super 8 motel operator in Durham, North Carolina, found Randolph abandoned on the building’s second-floor balcony, shivering in the cold. The manager called Alešja
Daehnrich of Blind Spot Animal Sanctuary for help. Soon enough, the piglet was safe in her expert care.
As Randolph recuperated at Daehnrich’s house, he met other animals living there, including Nellie, a rescued dachshund mix. When Nellie saw Randolph, she began whimpering, doing everything she could to reach him.
“She was almost in distress trying to be close to him,” Daehnrich said in a video for The Dodo.
According to experts at Blind Spot Animal Sanctuary, interactions between pigs and dogs should always be carefully supervised, as this type of bond is not typical. Under Daehnrich’s watchful eye, Nellie slowly met Randolph, and their bond was immediate.
“She assumed he was her puppy,” Daehnrich said. “It was very, very cute to witness.”
Randolph and Nellie filled a hole in each other’s hearts — Nellie wanted to take care of a baby, and Randolph needed a mom.
“As soon as he realized how safe she made him feel, they just became quite the bonded pair,” Daehnrich said.
Blind Spot Animal Sanctuary team members almost couldn’t believe their eyes as they watched Nellie and Randolph’s relationship blossom.
“We’ve been in animal rescue for 18 years, we’ve never had a dog being as protective over a piglet as Nellie is,” Daehnrich said.
Thanks to Daehnrich, Randolph can look forward to a life of care, safe from the harsh elements he endured at the hotel. And thanks to Nellie, he’ll always have someone who loves him by his side.
