Social Media Star and Animal Advocate Esther the Pig Dead at 11: Her 'Legacy Will Live Forever'

"We will continue to show the world that all animals deserve to be loved just like she was," co-parents Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter wrote of Esther on Instagram

Esther the Wonder Pig, who inspired several children's books and had over 2 million social media followers, died at age 11 on Oct. 19.

The pig's pet parents posted the sad news on Instagram Thursday. "There's no easy way to say this, but the day we all wished would never come has arrived. Esther has passed away," Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter wrote to Esther's social media followers, adding that they are going to "take a little break to process the situation."

"Even though Esther is no longer physically with us, her memory and legacy will live forever," the owners continued. "Esther is immortal, and we will continue to show the world that all animals deserve to be loved just like she was."

In 2012, real estate agent Jenkins thought he had adopted a miniature pig when he brought a 4-lb. Esther to the house he shared with Walter, two dogs, and two cats. By the time Jenkins and Walter realized that miniature pigs still grow to be several hundred pounds, "we had already fallen in love with her," Jenkins told PEOPLE in 2018.

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After revealing herself to be a full-sized pig by reaching over 600 lbs., Esther outgrew the small yard at the couple's home in Georgetown, Ontario. So Walter and Jenkins moved to a 50-acre farm, where Esther had her own bedroom with a king-size mattress. Here, the pair started Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary, where they cared for rescued chickens, cows, sheep, and donkeys. The sanctuary's mission is to "rescue and rehabilitate abandoned and abused farmed animals," per the sanctuary's website.

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Esther's friendship with her fellow animal housemates, particularly pit bull mix Shelby, became a hit online. Fans flocked to the pig's Instagram, and her social media love turned into literary success with books like The True Adventures of Esther the Wonder Pig, Esther the Wonder Pig, and Happily Ever Esther. 

While Jenkins and Walter separated last year, they continued co-parenting Esther and kept her followers in the loop about the pig's health struggles over the past several years.

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