Esther the Wonder Pig
Trademark
UnclaimedEsther the Wonder Pig was a rescued pet pig whose story became an international animal-welfare and veganism platform.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Esther the Wonder Pig was a Canadian pet pig and animal-welfare symbol whose life story became the basis for books, public advocacy, fundraising, and the creation of an animal sanctuary. Born on July 1, 2012, at a commercial pig farm, Esther was sold to Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter as a supposed miniature pig. She grew far beyond the size expected of a miniature pig, reaching approximately 600 pounds, or 272 kilograms, within about two years. Her unusual size led to the nickname “The Wonder Pig” and helped make her an online phenomenon. Esther’s importance extended beyond her status as a popular companion animal. Her owners used her story to encourage audiences to reconsider common assumptions about farmed animals, particularly pigs, and to discuss veganism, factory farming, animal intelligence, and humane treatment. In 2014, Jenkins and Walter founded Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary, naming the organization after Esther. The sanctuary provided a public-facing institutional setting for the broader mission associated with her story: giving animals rescued from agricultural and other harmful circumstances a safe home while promoting compassion toward animals. Esther’s medical history also became part of her public narrative. In 2018, her supporters raised money for a CT scanner capable of accommodating her size. Later that year, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and a stomach ulcer. After surgery, she was reported to be cancer-free. In August 2019, a bone infection led to the amputation of one toe. She spent much of 2018 and 2019 receiving care at the Ontario Veterinary College. These events illustrated both the practical challenges of caring for an unusually large companion pig and the strength of the community that had formed around her. Esther also became associated with environmental and animal-rights conversations through public encounters and media exposure. In October 2019, she met climate activist Greta Thunberg. Her story was developed into several books written by Steve Jenkins, Derek Walter, and Caprice Crane. Esther the Wonder Pig: Changing the World One Heart at a Time was published in 2016, followed by Happily Ever Esther: Two Men, a Wonder Pig, and Their Life-Changing Mission to Give Animals a Home and the picture book The True Adventures of Esther the Wonder Pig in 2018. All three books reached The New York Times best-seller list, broadening the audience for the sanctuary’s message and turning Esther into a recognizable publishing and advocacy property. A film adaptation was announced in 2019, with CBS Films hiring Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis to write the screenplay and The Donners’ Company attached to produce. The adaptation’s later production status is not established by the supplied sources. Esther died in her sleep on October 18, 2023. Although the individual animal is deceased, her name remains connected to the sanctuary, published works, online storytelling, and campaigns promoting the protection of farmed animals.
History
Esther was born on July 1, 2012, at a commercial pig farm. That year she was sold to Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter as a miniature pig. The description proved inaccurate: over the next two years Esther grew to approximately 600 pounds, or 272 kilograms, far exceeding the size normally associated with miniature pigs. Her unusual growth produced the nickname “The Wonder Pig” and helped attract a large online following. Jenkins and Walter increasingly presented Esther not simply as a household pet but as an individual whose experiences could challenge conventional distinctions between companion animals and farmed animals. Her popularity supported conversations about veganism, factory farming, animal intelligence, and the treatment of pigs in commercial agriculture. In 2014, the owners founded Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary, naming the organization after her. The sanctuary gave the public story a continuing institutional form by providing a home for rescued animals and promoting a more compassionate relationship with animals. Esther’s care required substantial veterinary resources. In 2018, supporters raised money for a CT scanner large enough to scan her. She was subsequently diagnosed with breast cancer and a stomach ulcer. Following surgery, she was declared cancer-free. She spent much of 2018 and 2019 at the Ontario Veterinary College while receiving treatment and observation. In August 2019, a bone infection resulted in the amputation of one toe. Her health challenges became part of the wider public narrative surrounding the costs, responsibilities, and emotional commitments involved in caring for a very large animal. The Esther story also moved into publishing. Esther the Wonder Pig: Changing the World One Heart at a Time was released in 2016. In 2018, it was followed by Happily Ever Esther: Two Men, a Wonder Pig, and Their Life-Changing Mission to Give Animals a Home and by the picture book The True Adventures of Esther the Wonder Pig. All three books were authored by Steve Jenkins, Derek Walter, and Caprice Crane and were reported to have appeared on The New York Times best-seller list. Their success transformed Esther’s public identity into a durable literary and educational property. The books used humor and an accessible personal narrative while retaining an explicit message about animal cruelty and sanctuary work. In 2019, a film adaptation was announced. CBS Films hired Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis to write the screenplay, and The Donners’ Company was identified as producer. The supplied material does not establish that the film was completed or released. In October of the same year, Esther met climate activist Greta Thunberg, an encounter that connected her public profile with wider discussions about environmental responsibility and animal agriculture. Esther died in her sleep on October 18, 2023. Her individual life therefore spans a relatively short period, but her cultural and advocacy legacy is broader: she became the namesake of a sanctuary, the subject of best-selling books, a fundraising focus for specialized medical care, and a recognizable example used to encourage empathy toward farmed animals. The continuing status of the sanctuary and related activities is not fully documented in the supplied reference material.
- 2023
Esther dies
[1]Esther died in her sleep on October 18, 2023.
- 2019
Film adaptation is announced
[1]CBS Films commissioned a screenplay based on Esther’s story, with The Donners’ Company attached to produce.
- 2019
Esther meets Greta Thunberg
[1]The meeting linked Esther’s animal-welfare profile with prominent climate and environmental advocacy.
- 2018
Specialized medical fundraising and cancer treatment
[1]Supporters funded efforts to obtain a CT scanner suitable for Esther; she was diagnosed with breast cancer and a stomach ulcer and later reported cancer-free after surgery.
- 2018
Two additional books are released
[1]The sequel Happily Ever Esther and the picture book The True Adventures of Esther the Wonder Pig were published.
- 2016
First book is published
[1]Esther the Wonder Pig: Changing the World One Heart at a Time brought Esther’s story and animal-welfare message to book audiences.
- 2014
Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary is founded
[1]Esther’s owners established an animal sanctuary named after her.
- 2012
Esther is born and adopted as a supposed miniature pig
[1]Esther was born at a commercial pig farm and sold to Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter as a miniature pig.
Products and positioning
An individual-animal storytelling brand centered on compassion for farmed animals, sanctuary care, veganism, and public education about factory farming.
Book · 2016
Esther the Wonder Pig: Changing the World One Heart at a Time
The first book about Esther, written by Steve Jenkins, Derek Walter, and Caprice Crane. It presents Esther’s unexpected growth, life as a companion animal, and the animal-welfare message associated with her story. The book helped introduce the sanctuary’s mission and discussions of animal cruelty and compassion to a broad readership.
Book · 2018
Happily Ever Esther: Two Men, a Wonder Pig, and Their Life-Changing Mission to Give Animals a Home
A follow-up memoir about Esther, her owners, and the development of their animal-sanctuary mission. The book expands the personal narrative into an account of building a home for rescued animals and continuing the advocacy associated with Esther’s public profile.
Picture book · 2018
The True Adventures of Esther the Wonder Pig
An illustrated children’s book adaptation of Esther’s story. It presents the unusually large pig as a family and sanctuary figure while making her experiences accessible to younger readers.
Animal sanctuary · 2014
Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary
The sanctuary founded by Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter in Esther’s name. It represents the operational and charitable extension of the Esther brand, combining animal rescue with public education about farmed animals and compassionate treatment.
Marketing campaigns
- 2018CT scanner fundraising
Canada · United States
Supporters raised money for a CT scanner large enough to examine Esther, reflecting the unusual veterinary requirements created by her size.
Outcome. The fundraising supported access to specialized diagnostic equipment for Esther’s medical care.
- 2014Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary
Canada · United States
Jenkins and Walter established a sanctuary named after Esther to give rescued animals a safe home and to support public conversations about animal welfare, veganism, and factory farming.
Outcome. The sanctuary became the principal institutional expression of Esther’s animal-welfare mission.
Brand decisions
2019
Pursue a film adaptationOtherBackground
Esther’s online popularity, books, and animal-welfare message created interest in adapting her story for film.
Action taken
CBS Films hired Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis to write a screenplay, with The Donners’ Company producing.
Aftermath
The supplied sources do not establish whether the film was completed or released.
2014
Create an animal sanctuary around Esther’s public missionStrategyBackground
Esther’s online following and her owners’ interest in animal welfare created an opportunity to turn an individual pet’s story into an ongoing rescue and education effort.
Action taken
Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter founded Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary and named it after Esther.
Aftermath
The sanctuary became a lasting platform for animal rescue and advocacy associated with Esther’s name.
Sources1 sources
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