Woman delights onlookers by taking pet pig out for walk down busy street

The woman was spotted walking her pet pig down Cavendish Road in Bispham, near Blackpool, yesterday. The friendly pig sported a smart light blue harness as it stopped for fuss from intrigued passers-by. A picture taken by an onlooker shows the grey pig happily sniffing a resident as he stopped to chat with its owner.

A small Pomeranian nearby seemed unperturbed by the unusual sight.

Keeping a pet pig

If you keep a pig or ‘micropig’ as a pet, you’re considered a pig keeper.

You must follow the same traceability and welfare rules as pig farmers.

As a keeper, you’re legally responsible for the welfare of your pig. You must look after it by:

- providing it with a suitable place to live

- giving it a suitable diet

- making sure it can behave naturally and normally

- protecting it from pain, suffering, injury and disease

You must follow good hygiene and biosecurity standards to help prevent the introduction and spread of disease.

Walking a pet pig

You need to apply for a licence from APHA to walk your pig outside your home or premises.

You also need to provide a map of your proposed route as part of your application.

APHA may not approve your walking route if it poses a health risk, for example if it passes close to a:

- livestock market

- pig farm

- fast food restaurant

You must have your licence with you whenever you’re walking your pig, and you’ll need to renew it every year.

Click HERE for more information.