TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A herd of pot-bellied pigs near the state capital has become too much for one person to handle, prompting animal advocacy groups to respond to the situation.
Officials said this is a case of a man with good intentions who got in over his head.
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A group called Avalon Mini Pigs -- Animal Allies Florida was contacted by the herd’s owner to help get the animals under control. It is estimated that the herd has grown to more than 200 pigs.
“We’re just trying to help stabilize everything,” said Christal Ellard, of Avalon Mini Pigs.
The owner of the herd asked not to be on camera.
“I think that he started off with a very good heart,” Ellard said.
The man had been adopting unwanted pigs in an attempt to rescue them. Local donations helped offset the cost of feed, but it appears the population has become too much for one person to handle.
“When they start breeding out of control, you quickly end up with a lot more pigs than you can manage, considering they can give birth every four months,” Ellard said.
Rescuers said each pig needs to be given a clean bill of health and be spayed and neutered before it can be adopted out. They estimated the cost per-pig to be about $400.
Another concern is the fact that the pigs have been escaping from their pens, and roaming free through the surrounding woods, which could potentially create a feral population.
“I’m not sure how that’s going to be handled,” Ellard said.
Cleanup efforts will likely take weeks.
Rescuers are asking for veterinarians to volunteer to help spay and neuter the animals. They said they’re currently looking into partnerships with universities in and out of the state to help with the situation.
Advocates said if anyone wants to assist, donations can be made by clicking this link.