Hi, my name is…Danielle Betterman. I am the owner/director of Better Piggies Rescue, a pot belly and farm hog pig rescue dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, adoption, and education of pigs in Arizona.

I’ve lived in North Phoenix for three years and I love it because…We have so much space for our four-legged babies.

A typical day in my life includes… Getting up early, between 5 and 6 a.m., feeding all 130 pigs, three cows, and a horse. Throughout the day we monitor the pigs’ health, pick up the large amount of poop only 130+ animals create, take calls and answer emails asking about pig education, adoption, and rescue. If we receive a rescue call, me and our rescue manager take our rescue vehicle out to the call and work with other organizations, rescues, and departments in Arizona to ensure they go to a space that works best for the pig.

My family… Includes our rescue manager, Dwight Dixon, along with the multiple volunteers that come daily to help us with the needs of the sanctuary. Everyone that volunteers with Better Piggies is considered a family member.

One thing I cannot live without is… Our amazing vets at Arizona Mobile Vets. They come directly to the sanctuary if there are any issues or for general care and treat our pigs like gold. Dr. Burrows and Dr. Marricle, along with their amazing team, are a central part of how smoothly the rescue is run.

My favorite movie I could never get tired of watching and why… “Babe” or “Charlotte’s Web.” We also loved the recent blockbuster “Black Widow” because it showed how smart pigs really are.

When I was younger, I wanted to be… An animal caregiver and it happened! My father was a wildlife animal rescuer and taught me that all animals need to be treated with kindness and consideration.

The song I would sing at Karaoke night is… “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath.

The one person who motivates me is… The memory of my father, who passed away over 12 years ago. I learned my animal compassion and rescue mentality from him, and I always ask myself, “What would my father do?” when I have an issue.

The last thing that made me laugh out loud was… All these silly pigs. They are such huge nerds; they make me laugh daily. They really don’t care how they act so they act silly all the time. Pigs are such a joy to be around.

The perfect day would be… A calm one with all our volunteers just hanging out with the pigs and enjoying the beautiful Arizona fall weather. Our pigs thrive off human company so it’s great to see them cuddling with everyone that visits.

My life… Is full because of the rescue.

The best gift I’ve ever received was… My first ever pig, Beezers, who is now 12 years old and thriving at the sanctuary. He taught me how to love and interact with pigs, what to do and what not to do, and pushed me to start the rescue and sanctuary after learning how many pigs need to be saved.

My dream vacation would be… To see other rescues like Central Texas Pig Rescue in Texas or Hog Haven in Colorado.

The best piece of advice I’ve ever received… Surround yourself with people who know more than you do. You can never go wrong if you have a great group of smart people who know much more and can help you through the hard times.