Woman Watching Pig Livestream Video Notices Something Unsettling In The Background

It wasn’t just any pig livestream video, however, as the star of the “Swine Cam” was a pregnant pig named Ethel that Laura had visited at June Farms in West Sand Lake, New York, a few weeks prior. Laura was simply excited to see if Ethel had given birth yet!

Ethel was still plump and pregnant, but Laura tuned in anyway to watch the pale pink pig with black spots sleep and waddle around in piles of hay. “It’s the least stressful [thing on the internet],” Laura explained to CBS.

But as the enormous animal got rowdier, Laura watched her knock a low-hanging heat lamp onto the ground of her pen. What could possibly go wrong?

Ethel began kicking clumps of straw, wood chips, and hay on top of the fallen lamp, which made Laura shudder. Dry hay plus a heat lamp is simply a recipe for disaster.

It wasn’t long before the lamp set the hay ablaze, the barn itself following shortly afterwards. As the flames licked their way up the sides of Ethel’s wooden pen, Laura went into panic mode.

Laura was simply a spectator observing from countless miles away, but there was no way she was going to let Ethel become bacon. And believe it or not, Laura was the only spectator. The stakes were high.

“I started freaking out. I was the only one watching, which is what made my heart sink. There was nothing I could do and it was terrifying,” she stated. But Laura had to do something; she grabbed her phone in a panic.

Laura frantically called June Farms, her heart beating faster with each ring. Nobody answered. She then called the police and the local fire department, but with no luck. Feeling defeated, Laura finally called Matt Baumgartner, the owner of June Farms.

With just enough time to spare, someone answered the phone. “They busted in,” Laura said. “I started crying – like, this is just a lot.” Laura was at the edge of her seat, hoping and praying she wasn’t about to witness a live pork roast.

As seen in the livestream, one farmer used a fire extinguisher to stop the growing flames, while another one gave pregnant Ethel gentle, comforting rubs. She escaped death by the skin of her teeth.

And though Ethel seemed completely calm and unbothered, as she didn’t notice the fire, the farmer wanted to make sure she was all right. “And he [the farmer] was holding her and he’s like, ‘I’m so sorry.’ You could tell how much he loved those animals. I was like ‘Oh!'” Laura continued.

Farm manager Josh Vics was particularly touched by Laura’s heroism, as he’s cared for Ethel since she was just a little piglet. “It’s definitely inspiring to know that there are other people that feel as much affection and love toward these animals as we do,” he said.

“I don’t like to think about how bad it could have been if she didn’t say something,” he relayed to WKBN. It sure is a grisly thought, which is why June Farms publicly thanked Laura for her heroic actions.

“Without her [Laura’s] immediate action, we don’t know what would have happened to our pigs. We are so grateful to her, the West Sand Lake & Averill Park fire departments who arrived immediately, and our Farm Manager @JVics who arrived first to put out the fire (with @JuneFarmsMatt),” June Farms wrote on Facebook.

“This has been a difficult lesson to learn about the dangers of heat lamps, and how quickly and easily they can cause a fire. We consider ourselves so incredibly fortunate that the pigs are safe and were unharmed,” the Facebook post continued. But Laura’s connection with the farm didn’t end there.

Laura was forever bonded with sweet Ethel, and soon after the incident, she traveled back to June Farms to pay pigs Ethel and Lucy another visit. Josh Vics also wished to thank Laura for her big heart and determination in person.

While Laura happily fed and pet the four-legged mama-to-be, the farmers informed her that the first pig in Ethel’s litter would be named Laura. What an honor!

“I never thought I’d have a pig named after me, but I’ll take it,” Laura told CBS with a giggle. We bet the employees at June Farms are keeping a close eye on Ethel, just to make sure she doesn’t get herself into any more trouble!

Laura Palladino’s virtual heroism is undoubtedly admirable, however only states away, fellow animal lover Jim Passmore’s quick thinking was needed in person. When he spotted a peculiar object floating in a creek, he quickly realized that he was witnessing a matter of life and death.