Logan Paul is once again facing backlash, this time after his former pet pig Pearl was discovered in a field and taken in by California-based animal sanctuary the Gentle Barn.
According to a post on the Gentle Barn’s Instagram and TikTok yesterday, “Pearl was found abandoned in a field next to another pig who had died,” and had “tattered ears and a potentially life-threatening infection in her uterus.”
The post continues: “From what we’ve been told, it’s believed she was purchased originally from a breeder by an influencer,” but it does not name Paul. It adds that “People often buy ‘mini pigs’ or ‘teacup pigs’ for clout online, believing they will stay small. When they inevitably grow very large and have many unexpected needs, they’re sadly discarded.”
@thegentlebarn Pearl was found alone in a field next to another pig who had passed away. She came to us with tattered ears and a potentially life-threatening infection in her uterus that has since been healed. She’s clearly been through so much trauma that we can’t begin to imagine, but she’s now safe with us at The Gentle Barn. From what we’ve been told, it’s believed she was purchased originally from a breeder by an influencer. People often buy “mini pigs” or “teacup pigs” for clout online, believing they will stay small. When they inevitably grow very large and have many unexpected needs, they’re sadly discarded. While we don’t know everything she’s been through in her past, we know her life is now filled with friends, nutritious foods, the highest quality care, and so much love. #pigrescue #animalrescuestory #abandonedanimals #pigsoftiktok #farmanimalrescue #thegentlebarn ♬ Where is My Mind? – Piano Version – The Blue Notes
The boxer-wrestler doesn’t have the best track record with pets. He apparently got Pearl thinking she was a mini pig in 2019, and tweeted about how big she’d gotten in February 2020. Paul also had another pig named Piggy Smalls, which he belatedly posted about in 2021, though he bought the pig earlier than that.
There’s no word on its whereabouts, and people worried that Piggy Smalls was the dead pig Pearl was found next to. We reached out to the Gentle Barn and Paul for comment via email.
Paul currently lives in Puerto Rico, and in an email allegedly from Paul to the Gentle Barn on Tuesday, which was obtained by TMZ, he claims that when he moved to Puerto Rico “in April of 2020, she was unable to come with me, so she was rehomed at a horse ranch in Santa Clarita.” According to Paul, Pearl was then rehomed again “to the farmer across the street.” He thanked the Gentle Barn for taking her in.
Many saw this as an obvious PR move, and Paul only announced he was moving in early 2021.
YouTuber Cid Dwyer posted a video about all of Paul’s pets late last year, and said he was allegedly contacted by a farmer who sent him photos of Pearl to show she was still alive. The same farmer claimed Piggy Smalls had been killed by coyotes. A month ago, Dwyer posted an update saying Pearl was living at the Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita. Dwyer confirmed that to the Daily Dot.
For the last week, Paul has been under fire for something else: allegedly scamming fans via a cryptocurrency game called CryptoZoo, which was investigated by YouTuber Coffeezilla.
Update 4:04pm CT, Jan. 10: The Gentle Barn confirmed to the Daily Dot that it received an email from Paul, and has been in the process of helping Pearl “thrive.”
In a statement, the Gentle Barn said: “We got her examined by a veterinarian, checked her teeth, did extensive hoof trims as they were grossly overgrown, got her spayed and while doing so discovered and healed a potentially life-threatening infection. We’re feeding her organic fruits, veggies, and grains to get her healthy and full of energy, and giving her sound therapy. We have been slowly introducing her to our potbelly pig family and Pearl has now been fully accepted.”
