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Show pigs and dogs evacuate to CTX

Posted at 5:59 PM, Sep 01, 2017
and last updated 2018-11-03 15:19:57-04

One Central Texas family took in more than just people as evacuees after Hurricane Harvey made landfall. 

Gaye Lynn Seawright and her husband welcomed their nephew, his wife and their 38 show pigs and 11 dogs after they evacuated their home due to flooding from Hurricane Harvey. 

"Sunday at about 11 o'clock, my neighbor, like she said he's been there 50 years, never evacuated, always stood his ground, sent me a text that said, "I'm out," Kevin Seawright, an evacuee said. 

That text sent a husband, wife and their 38 show pigs and 11 dogs scrambling to evacuate as the Brazos River continued to rise. 

"There was a moment where I yelled, "Please God just stop." Just stop, stop raining. Stop raining at least for five minutes so we can get loaded. It got to a point where he was bear hugging the pigs, and I was opening the gate of the trailer just to load them because  I mean they weren't budging, they were scared," Kevin and Jackie Seawright added.  

Once they finally were able to load all of the hogs and dogs, it took them two hours to navigate the flooded roads and find a way out. 

"I heard Jackie call and say, "Jimmy can we come to your place?" and you could hear the desperation in her voice... it's like, "Wow. We've got 38 pigs coming!" Gaye Lynn Seawright said.  

So, the couple got to work, and turned an old, falling apart garage into a makeshift pig pen. It wasn't until midnight... six hours later, the family of 51 pulled into the Seawright family farm in Bosque County safe and sound. 

"We haven't seen any sign of illness in our herd so everybody's safe which I'm so thankful for," Jackie Seawright said. 

On Sunday, the pigs and dogs will return home... but, Mrs. Seawright said she will definitely miss her unique guests. 

"It is going to be so quiet." 

Thursday, the Seawright men went back down to Right Track Farms in Pattison and thankfully, their home was okay. They did some work, and now they tell me the farm is ready for when the pigs come home.  

Kevin and Jackie Seawright's show pig company helps students in South Texas raise and show pigs for FFA in an affordable way. 

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