BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
For the past 14 years Honey Bun, the pot-bellied pig, has been “Boss Hog” of the Big Star Tavern in Prattville, Alabama. Yes, a pig. A precious pig that lived in her own quarters behind the bar.
This morning, her long reign came to a peaceful, but heartbreaking, end for her owners Ashley and Mike Moore, who own Big Star Tavern. She left this world gently, being euthanized by area veterinarian Dr. Sean L. Custard, with Custard Veterinary Services.
“Dr. Custard was so kind to us today,” Mike said. “We really appreciate him.”
Honey Bun lived long past her expected life span, especially considering the shape she was in when Ashley and Mike found her wondering along Hwy. 82, with serious injuries.
With a lot of love and great veterinary care over the years from her regular vet, Dr. Dee Jones, DVM, the wounds began to heal. But they could not find anything to entice the pig to eat.
Enter Jim Lehew, better known as “Mate,” who ran the bar and the package store for the Moore’s at the time.
“He had tried everything he could think of to get her to eat, but nothing was working,” said Mike. “And then one day he came in and said, ‘I found it. It is honey buns. But not just any honey bun. It has to be the glazed kind.’”
Her name was sealed, and her appetite restored.
She also developed a fondness for Mexican food. So much in fact, that when Mike and Ashley went out to area restaurants they would collect the leftovers from other customer’s plates and bring them back for her.
Customers would bring her gifts of pound cake, squash, watermelons, cantaloupes and assorted snacks. She would eat it all. But she wouldn’t touch food specifically designed for pot-bellied pigs. She was far too royal and regal for such scraps.
As she began to grow from just a tiny thing to quite a large pig, customers became accustomed to her presence as she was allowed to roam around the property outside.
“But it was a little frustrating, because not everyone was comfortable with having to step over a pig to get into the package store, or into the bar,” Mike said. “Some customers were a bit frightened.”
So, construction began on Honey Bun’s personal pig shack behind the bar. Customers could go out, bring her snacks, scratch her snout and chat. We hear she was a very good listener, especially if you brought her a honey bun. A lot of the world’s problems were eased by a little “Honey Bun” time behind the bar with deep conversations.
And she kept growing. And growing. But so did her popularity.
She was always supervising the many fundraisers and benefits that Big Star has come to be known for, including raising money for Autism, cancer patients, families after fires, deaths or other tragedies. That has been a common part of the bar’s existence since Ashley and Mike opened Big Star in January of 2003. The addition of Honey Bun 14 years ago just made it a little more interesting.
Currently they are working on a fundraiser to help the American Legion Post 122 to raise money for area victims of the tornado. It is always something, and there are always things to do to help people. Mike and Ashley have been a huge supporter of anything that brings funds for the needy. They have big hearts that way.
That isn’t going to change. But they will continue without Honey Bun’s expert supervision of the barbecuing process.
So, today, their hearts are breaking, Mike said.
“Some will not understand how a pig can root her way into your heart,” Mike said. “But Honey Bun did it with ease. She was easy to love and gave as much back as she got. This really is a heartbreaking day for Ashley and myself. A lot of our customers will come in looking for her, so we just wanted to let them know that Honey Bun has left this world. But she will leave a permanent mark.”
Honey Bun will be cremated, thanks to Landmark Pet Cremation Services. Her ashes and a print of her hoof will remain in the bar. And, so will the memories of a once tiny piglet, who grew into Boss Hog and captured the hearts of all who met her.
Editor’s Note: If you are so inclined, we encourage you to drop of a monetary donation in Honey Bun’s memory to the bar. We can assure you, that money will go to very good causes.
