Miniature pig

Miniature pig
Country of origin	Europe
Traits
Weight	Male: Under 45 pounds (20 kg)
Weight	Female: Under 45 pounds (20 kg)
Pig (Sus scrofa domesticus.)

A miniature pig is one of the breeds developed and used for medical research or developed for use as a pet. These smaller pigs were first used for medical research in Europe before being introduced to the United States as pets in the 1980s. Since then, the animals have been used in studies by scientists around the world, including for study as a source of organs for organ transplantation. Some miniature pigs are also kept as pets in European countries.

History

Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs that grow to be 150–200 pounds (68–91 kg) were sent to zoos in Western nations in the 1960s. In the mid-1980s, Keith Connell of the Bowmanville, Ontario zoo imported twenty breeders to Canada. Two of the pigs died in quarantine. The remaining 18 unrelated pigs were the foundation for the Potbellied Pig in North America. Because of the customs laws, only the offspring could be sold to the United States. US zoos were the main target for the piglets, but private owners soon began purchasing them as pets. Up to five additional imports were made in the following 10 years. To help track the pedigrees, the Potbellied Pig Registry Service, Inc (PPRSI) was created to preserve these bloodlines and establish a breed registry in the United States. These pigs average 150–200 lbs. This registry was dissolved in the late 1990s.

The Miniature Potbellied Pig Registry Service, Inc (MPPRSI) was established in 1993 to provide a registry for those pigs who were pedigreed in the PPRSI and also met the breed standard of less than 15 inches tall. All of the foundation pigs were dually registered in PPRSI and MPPRSI.

In the UK, British micro pigs have been bred by Rob Rose in Cumbria since 1996. These pigs are bred from the kunekune (a New Zealand pig that weighs around 200 pounds (91 kg)), the Gloucester Old Spot (800 lbs) and the Tamworth (800 pounds (360 kg)). After several generations of crossing, the pigs have been marketed as truly tiny pigs that work well as pets. They have not been bred long enough to be considered a true breed and are not a consistent size or shape. After the initial press releases, breeders began popping up all over Britain trying to push pocket-piglets which later became genuine hogs unfit for suburban dwelling. British micro pigs are not only found in zoos, animal parks and open farms, but are also kept as pets. www.petpiggies.co.uk is an informative website where potential micro pig owners can learn more about these highly intelligent and sociable creatures.

Medical research

Miniature pigs have been used for medical research including toxicology, pharmacology, and aging.

As pets

Miniature pigs, also known as micro pigs or teacup pigs, have seen an increase in popularity. They can be house-trained, and keep themselves exceptionally clean, despite people believing that pigs are dirty creatures.

Other notable references

A Yucatan miniature pig is the unofficial mascot of the Animal Rescue League of Boston.

The world's smallest pig is believed to be the 28 inches (71 cm) long wild pygmy hog, an endangered species which lives in wildlife sanctuaries in Assam, India.

The CBS television series How I Met Your Mother features a miniature pig in the episode entitled "Hooked". It is used by Barney to tempt girls into his apartment before he seduces them, and is also used so that Lily could learn to reject her old high-school boyfriend Scooter.

British micro pigs can be seen on ITV's show The Lakes in 2011.

www.petpiggies.co.uk is an informative website where potential pet pig owners can learn more about micro pigs

References

Petpiggies.co.uk is an informative website where you can learn more about pet pig ownership