Benji was photographed being walked by a couple on Broadway in Ocean Grove. Photo by Stephen Goldfinger, Blogfinger staff. © 8/3/16 Ocean Grove
By Stephen Goldfinger, Blogfinger staff.
Benji is a form of domesticated pig originating in Vietnam, called a pot-bellied pig. It eats a special food designed for what are called miniature pigs which prevents them from growing too large. This guy lives in the house with this couple who said it was originally their son’s, but somehow they ended up adopting him. He is very social and intelligent and interacts well with people, although dogs can make him a bit skittish.
On the other hand, I was told that in the home, he can be a bit protective or rather pig-headed over his family members. Benji loves snacking on the numerous patches of crabgrass he finds on his daily excursions around Ocean Grove. And remember, some little piggies go to market and some eat roast beef.
Here’s a bit of additional interesting info about this breed which became a fad in the 90’s (from Wikipedia):
Pot-bellied pigs have been abandoned when owners discover that these pigs actually grow to larger sizes and require more care than they believed. Others are forced to give up pet pigs due to local ordinances.
According to Adam Goldfarb, the director of the “Pets At Risk” program for the Humane Society of the United States, “Pot-bellied pigs are really emblematic of what happens to an animal when it becomes a popular or fad pet. We saw this in the ’90s when there was the initial pot-bellied pig craze. A lot of people went to buy them because they are so cute when they are little, but then they get big.”
Pot-bellied pig associations recommend adoption from local shelters instead of buying. Others like the Southern California Association for Miniature Pot-bellied Pigs and the California Pot-bellied Pig Association are actively involved in housing abandoned pet pigs. Despite this, shelters often have difficulty in finding new homes for abandoned pigs.
JANET KLEIN AND THE PARLOR BOYS: “Walking my Piggie Back Home”
I once encountered a pig being “walked” through the main intersection of Flushing, a mostly Asian part of Queens, NY. However, this was a large pig carcass being carried on a man’s shoulder en route to a restaurant.
It’s great they’re taking Benji for a walk, but will he be going wee-wee-wee all the way home?