There was a time, not many years ago, when teacup pigs were the hottest trend in pet ownership. However, cute as baby piggies are, they aren’t actually designed to stay that small. Genetically speaking, there’s no such thing as a micro pig and most are destined for much, say, bigger things.
As we saw with Esther the Wonder Pig, people often buy micro pigs under false pretenses, and quickly realize that their beloved pets aren’t actually going to stay tiny for long.
Unfortunately, that leads to lots of micro pigs being surrendered by owners who weren’t banking on such a massive pet commitment.
But on the flip side of the micro pig fallacy, you also have owners who fall so utterly in love with their large and in charge porcine companions that they can’t imagine any other way of life!
For one U.K. woman named Janey Byrne, her two pigs quickly became her babies, despite the slight shock of their rapid growth.
Read on below to learn more about the micro pig scam and about Byrne’s life with two massive potbellied pets!
Most so-called micro pigs are actually potbellied pigs, which can reach 300 lbs., or domestic pigs, which can reach 1,000 lbs.
They are often underfed or sold when very young by unscrupulous dealers trying to cash in on the trend.
The new pig owners are often shocked when their pets balloon in size and many, unprepared to house an animal of that size, have to surrender their animals.
Janey Byrne bought her first pig, Meeka, back in 2009, for £350 (nearly $500).
She was so excited about her new pint-size pet that she added a piggy sister, Molly, about a year later, paying just £50 (around $70).
The two porky pals joined Byrne, her husband, and the couple’s two dogs.
Though the pigs were both smaller than a French bulldog when purchased, they grew and grew, far past the 60 lb. maximum that Byrne expected…
The Byrnes didn’t take long to realize that their beloved mini pigs were actually Vietnamese potbellied pigs.
Within six months, both of their pigs had ballooned much more quickly than expected.
Both potbellied pigs, advertised as smaller than a cocker spaniel at full size, were growing quite hefty.
This was especially true of Molly, who the Byrnes suspect is part wild boar.
Both Molly and Meeka now tip the scales at about 330 lbs. apiece, which is hefty even for a potbellied pig, but Janey and her husband Dave love them just the same.
According to Caters, Janey loves to spoil her girls rotten, saying, “They’re very pampered…they’re my princesses and they love the attention.”
She installed a special pink pigpen for them to enjoy outside, where they can wallow, root, and laze.
Inside the house, they love to snuggle with Mom and Dad, receive belly rubs, and practice a few tricks, like begging, picked up from the dogs.
While Janey, a receptionist, and Dave, a fireman, wouldn’t trade their darling pigs for anything in the world, it is a very expensive habit.
Along with initial shock of their rapidly expanding size comes the sticker shock.
Janey estimates that she spends more than $400 a month on feeding and caring for the pigs.
Both pigs require lots of special food, and Meeka has arthritis and requires medication.
Still, there’s no question of the Byrnes ever giving their girls up.
Yes, their size was a surprise, but they’re a part of the family now.
Janey notes that most pigs like hers never even reach old age and she hopes for many more years with her beloved piggies.
Despite the happy ending, micro pig scams like this one usually end sadly.
This cruel practice should be brought to an end.
In the meantime, we’re thankful that there are adopters like Janey out there willing to stick out their commitment, as well as amazing rescue and rehab facilities that foster pigs and other animals when their owners have been duped by the false promise of a teacup pig.
Check out the video below to see Molly and Meeka in action.
And make sure to SHARE Janey’s story with friends and family who need to know that a mini pig might turn out to be a very large commitment indeed!
