In a year dominated by doom and gloom headlines, two women have quietly engineered a cross-border success story with 13 tiny trotters, a mountain of paperwork, and a shared belief that animals deserve better.
Olivia Mikhail, founder of Kew Little Pigs in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, and Mary Bermingham, co-founder of Burren Nature Sanctuary in Co. Galway, are the driving force behind what is now being hailed as Europe’s most ethical miniature pig breeding network, a partnership that has not only broken through cross-border red tape, but set new standards for responsible pet ownership.
The venture reached its first milestone this year when two sows, Freya and Flora, gave birth to 13 healthy piglets at the 50-acre Burren sanctuary. The snuffling newcomers mark the start of a long-planned breeding programme that aims to ensure future pet pigs, across Ireland and mainland Europe, are raised ethically and rehomed only with carefully trained, thoroughly vetted owners.
At the heart of the scheme are two women with very different backstories but one shared mission, to raise the bar for pig welfare.
Mikhail launched her Old Amersham farm from a suburban back garden after her daughter, Eva, fell in love with Charlotte’s Web and Babe. What started as a family passion project is now a multi-award-winning attraction and the UK’s leading ethical breeder of miniature pigs. Bermingham’s path began eight years ago, when she rescued a Juliana pig named Amelia and found herself unexpectedly captivated. “She changed everything,” Bermingham says. “I fell head over heels. When the chance came to work with Olivia and bring this level of welfare and knowledge to Ireland, I didn’t think twice.”
What followed was more than a year of training, transport planning, and a complicated tangle of post-Brexit documentation. When the breeding boars Apollo and Jupiter finally travelled across the Irish Sea, customs officers confirmed they were the first pigs to legally cross the UK–Ireland border since Brexit, a milestone that made the women’s welfare-driven partnership a small footnote in agricultural history.
But for Mikhail and Bermingham, the project is about far more than paperwork. Their goal is to create a Europe-wide network of educated, responsible pig owners who understand that these charismatic animals are intelligent, emotional and highly social—and require far more than novelty status or impulse-buy appeal.
“We’re not just selling pet pigs, we’re creating guardians,” Bermingham explains. “We want people to experience how intelligent and affectionate these animals are, but also to understand the commitment involved. This isn’t just cute, this is care.”
Both farms insist prospective owners complete mandatory training and welfare checks before they are allowed anywhere near a piglet, with follow-up support to ensure every pig enjoys a long, healthy life. It’s a model that stands in stark contrast to the poorly regulated micro-pig boom of the 2010s, where inexperienced breeders and naïve owners often created heartbreaking outcomes.
The partnership aims to turn that history on its head. As Mikhail puts it, “We wanted to prove that borders don’t have to be barriers when it comes to best practice and animal welfare. This partnership is all about love for the animals, and ensuring that future pet pigs across Europe are bred responsibly and ethically.”
At Burren Nature Sanctuary, the piglets are already becoming minor celebrities, joining the sanctuary’s woodland pig-walks and education programmes that blend conservation with hands-on animal encounters. For visitors, it’s a chance to meet the next generation of ethically bred miniature pigs. For Mikhail and Bermingham, it’s a moment that symbolises everything they fought to achieve.
Two women, two farms, and 13 tiny new arrivals, proving that with enough dedication, even Brexit can’t stop a welfare revolution led by a pair of determined pig lovers.
More information can be found at www.kewlittlepigs.com.
“I joined the team in September of 2021 as a Farm Hand. This was my first proper job and the experience was very insightful as working with animals there is never a dull moment. I have always loved animals and have had many different animals growing up such as guinea pigs, rabbits, dogs and horses so I knew the animal industry was a career I would like to be involved in. Since joining Kew Little Pigs Farm I have had the opportunity to care for the animals and share my knowledge with all the customers that have visited the farm. I was promoted to Head Farm Hand in January 2023.
I look forward to my journey here at Kew Little Pigs Farm and hope to see you on the farm soon!”
