There is a well known saying, 'no pain, no gain' and that will be ringing true in the minds of Milk Link’s 1,600 producers, who are on the brink of reaping just reward for 12 years of loyalty and investment.Public warned over ‘micro pigs’ ahead of Christmas
DEFRA has issued a warning to would-be micro pig owners after media reports about people being mis-sold the animals in recent weeks.
It comes after stories emerged of people buying micro-pigs only to discover later they had a fully grown pig and with a surge in demand for the animals expected over Christmas, consumers are being warned to be on their guard.
Farming Minister Jim Paice said: “This season, remember that a pig is a farm animal, and not a pet for Christmas.
“A micro-pig may sound like a popular gift idea – but beware the pig that grows too big. This year already I’ve heard some interesting stories about micro pigs becoming bigger and outgrowing their homes.
“So if you’d like to see pigs this festive season, pop along to your local petting farm.”
The RPA too has expressed concern over the growing popularity of the animals which reach 14inches tall and weigh around 65 lbs when fully grown.
The agency moved to warn people of the legal responsibilities owners have, with the animals subject to the same legislation as farm animals such as registering for a County Parish Holding (CPH) number.
Alison Johnson, customer operations manager at the RPA said: “Registering and getting a CPH number is a vital first step before taking on a ‘micro’ pig. We are urging people to plan ahead and make sure they contact us well before they need the number as it can take about 15 days to register a new customer and issue a CPH number.”
Owners wanting to take their pet pigs for a walk must also apply for a licence from their local animal health office and are only allowed to walk them along the pre-approved route.
The miniature pigs have gained notoriety in recent years with celebrities such as David Beckham and Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint both proud owners.
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Readers' comments (2)
Anonymous | 2 April 2012 9:27 pm
Most of the bad press about micro pigs is driven by one persons self interest, see link below
http://swedishminipigs.wordpress.com/swedish-mini-pigs-and-the-truth-about-micro-pigs/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog
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Anonymous | 2 April 2012 11:29 pm
Link does not work, but if you are saying that micro pigs are fine and do not grow to normal pigs, you are mistaken. Many pigs have been returned, many rehomed and some just dumped. Many families have faced either a wrecked house or heartbreak of getting rid of their "pet". Mixing an entire boar with children is not the best idea as anyone who keeps pigs can tell you. It is a fad, and a dangerous one.
Many of these pigs are fed household scraps which is illegal. Just waiting for the next outbreak of disease which will wipe out many pig farmers. Defra should be doing more to protect farming, and not giving out CPH numbers to flats in cities.
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