Sporty Pigs?

Question
Hello Helen,
 I am looking for a pet pig which I can take hiking and climbing.  I have 2 large friendly dogs which are spoiled as would the pig.  Pot bellies do not seem agile enough for my lifestyle.  I am hoping to find a breed of swine that might be condusive.  I came across the Tibetan pig which seems perfect, however I do not think they are here in the States.  Tamworth appear to be active but I think a 500 lbs pig would be too much for indoors and out.  Do you have any suggestions?  I would appreciate any help and if you might know of any Tibetan pigs in the states.  Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Alton Vogt

Answer
Hi Alton,

The first issue to consider when getting a pig is zoning. Some communities have strict restrictions on pet pigs (i.e., the pig must be registered, etc), others ban all swine completely. Please check your zoning ordinances before getting a pig.

You're correct, most adult pot-bellied pigs are not particularly agile, and most prefer a somewhat sedentary lifestyle. Domestic hogs are easily trained and can be quite athletic, but also far too large to live comfortably in the house.

I'm not aware of anyone with Tibetan pigs in the US. Importing exotic animals into the US is a long, expensive, and difficult process.. and in some cases just flat out impossible.

If your zoning allows it, you might consider adopting a feral or feral mix pig. Like the wild horses in the Western US, these pigs are descendents of pigs that were brought here, escaped, and adapted to life in their new environment.   Feral pigs and piglets find their way to pig rescues all across the southern US (it's far too cold in the northern areas for pigs to survive in the wild). Ferals must be athletic and intelligent in order to survive. They tend to be energetic and playful throughout their lives, and don't slow down the way the pots do.

Ferals are not a standard breed so you need to know a little about the pig you are getting, where it originated, etc. Ferals from the SW US tend to be on the smaller side, usually a silvery-grey. Mine came from a rescue in NJ but his parents were captured from the wild in AZ. He's about as tall and long as a yellow lab, larger than the pots, but not much heavier weight-wise. His eyes are yellow, his ears are larger, and he has long skinny legs. Florida ferals are much shaggier, in shades of black and brown and sometimes silver, but grow much larger.

Another option might be an Ossabow. These pigs were brought to Ossabow Island, off the coast of SE US back in the 1700s.     It is illegal to remove these pigs from the Island now, due to disease concerns, but quite a few zoos and private breeders have Ossabow pigs.

Here are some resources for rescue pigs. They often have piglets available. Pig Placement Network is on the east coast, California Pot Bellied Pig Association is on the west coast (and yes, they sometimes get those silvery pigs). Pigs 4 Ever has links to all sorts of pig resources. That site is run by Dottie, and she used to take her pigs on hikes, so you might also want to contact her.

http://www.pigplacementnetwork.com/
http://www.cppa4pigs.org/
http://www.pigs4ever.com/index.htm