A pig in the parlor
Deborah Leask is fighting for the right to keep her pet pig, Wiggly, in her backyard. The county's zoning board has ruled that she must get rid of Wiggly, and, looking at Horry County's public index, it appears that she has been convicted in the magistrate court of public nuisance and permitting domestic animals to run at large in 2007, and has a zoning violation pending still in the Conway magistrate court.
A battle over swine is going to local court on Tuesday as an Horry County woman protests a county decision that she cannot keep a pet pig at her suburban home.It will be the most recent step in Deborah Leask's months-long fight to keep the pig, Wiggly, in the backyard of her home in the Plantation Point subdivision west of Myrtle Beach. She was issued a citation last year, and the county's zoning board of appeals has ruled against her.
Leask said Wiggly is a pot-bellied pig, which enthusiasts say make just as good pets as dogs or cats. The animals are intelligent, emotional and, contrary to popular belief, relatively clean, some say.
At issue for Leask is whether Wiggly should be considered a pet or livestock. County zoning rules do not allow livestock in residential areas, and Curt Freese, the county's zoning administrator, said he considers the pig to be livestock.
Leask said the pig should not be considered livestock because the animal is not being raised for food nor is Leask making any profit off the pig.
"Pot-bellied pigs are kept all over the country as domesticated pets," she said. "I would like to have the same opportunity to have domesticated pet pigs as other Americans have."
"They're very sweet animals, very loving animals," said Ben Watkins, the executive director of the Ironwood Pig Sanctuary, which hosts 580 pot-bellied pigs in Arizona. "They like to be petted. They like their belly rubbed."
If the pig is getting out and causing problems, it should be treated the same as any other pet that gets out of the fence. But, calling someone's pet pig "livestock" to try and force them to get rid of it is just ridiculous. People keep pigs for pets. It's no larger than many dogs, most likely quieter, and safer. Certainly we can find a more efficient use of court time than persecuting Wiggly the pet pig.
Comments
I cannot believe that someone would take Wiggly away from Miss Leask! This pig is her pet, just like my dog is mine! Maybe it's time to change the classification of what a "pet" is instead of persecuting Miss Leask for owning what many people do consider a pet. Even George Clooney owned a pot-bellied pig as a pet and he was devastated when his piggy died. No wonder South Carolina is so far behind many other states. I don't even know why I live here!
Posted by: Melanie Viegas | January 26, 2009 3:04 PM
Come on, Mr. Freese, have you ever looked at the definition for livestock? If the animal is compainion to Mrs. Leask, it is a pet! Maybe we should call parakeets and fish livestock too and ban them from this area.
Posted by: Stacey Gardner | January 27, 2009 8:01 AM
I don't even know what to say. This is such an outrage. In asian countries they would eat my dogs. Does that mean that dogs are meant to be eaten? Of course not. Everyone had their definition of what is a pet and what is not a pet... TO THEM! Vegetarians would not look at Wiggly as livestock. So who is to say that the simple minded lawmakers in South Carolina are right? On the contrary, these laws NEED to be changed. It is about time this state looks around and sees that times are changing. It would be beyond devastating to have this woman's pet and companion taken from her just because some lawmakers are behind in their lawmaking... as well as their thinking!!!
Posted by: Marilyn Viegas | February 2, 2009 12:40 AM
I am truly grateful for the supportive article written by this insightful lawyer in South Carolina. Wiggly is a precious member of our household that is less of a nuisance than most barking and biting dogs. She is blind so stays close to home and loves her belly rubs. Thank you to everyone in the community for your support!
Posted by: Deborah Leask | February 9, 2009 9:12 AM
I feel for the owner of Wiggly. I have a pot belly pig and she is a favorite to our family. She loves for her belly to rubbed tooo. People that don't envolve theirself with animals should stay out of others lives that do.
Posted by: Angel | September 10, 2010 9:14 AM