Posted on 09/20/2023 7:00:49 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
In the city of Madison, pigs won't be flying anywhere after the Common Council amended the city ordinance to allow them to be kept as pets.
The council voted 11-8 on the change late Tuesday night, allowing one pig per dwelling unit in the city, as long as it's under 24 inches tall at the shoulder, weighs 300 pounds, is up to date on shots and is microchipped. The vote came after roughly 30 minutes of discussion.
The swine that started it all was Rudi. He lives along the Southwest Commuter Bike Path.
"I think he belongs here," Karen Peterson said as she stopped by to see him while biking Tuesday. "My husband and I were going for a walk and I could hear him, and I hadn't been over here in a while because I've been traveling.
Within two weeks, both Rudi and Baconette -- a pig on the east side owned by Jeremy Linville -- were served notices that they had to pack their bags and fly.
Rudi's owner, Paula Niedenthal, spoke to News 3 Now off-camera, saying she had gotten too much attention -- positive and negative -- since news of Rudi's eviction came out.
She said she didn't know who reported him; she's had him for over a year and has only heard praise for the pig from neighbors.
And the neighbors showed it, placing signs along the path reading "Save Rudi."
"I was on the 'Free Rudi' train," Ted Wegehaupt said. He runs past the pig all the time.
"People love Rudy, he doesn't do anything other than just bring joy out," he said. "He's so great around here, like everybody in the community loves him. I think he brings more people to the path."
Lisa Armstrong, Peterson's friend, said if he was evicted, "Oh, my gosh. We would have written a letter."
"I always said if people have chickens in this neighborhood, we can have a pig," Peterson said.
Rudi also had Alder Tag Evers in his corner leading the rule change.
At Tuesday's council meeting, only one person spoke during the public comment portion, and he spoke against allowing the pigs.
"We started with the chickens, now we're doing pigs. What's going to be next, goats?" Robert Borman said. "The people putting this ordinance together and trying to have it pass are good pig owners and they probably are respect the neighbors and clean up after -- what happens is you get a lot of individuals that do not respect the laws and that will go overboard and there will be a smell."
All the pig owners say if properly taken care of, they don't smell. Rudi himself is litter box trained.
"They're very clean, that is something people are surprised to know about them," Anna Burr said, "they all choose to go to the bathroom very far away from where they sleep, very easy to litter train."
Burr, who has worked with miniature pigs at a local sanctuary farm for six years, told News 3 Now they make great pets.
"I've been working with dogs for the past 15 years, and I can say that the bonds that I've formed with pigs in the past six years have been extremely way more significant and deeper, and they're so multifaceted," Burr said.
Still, there are some things people should keep in mind before taking a little piggy home.
Pigs should be supervised around dogs, or kept separate, and there is a price for high intelligence.
"You need to stimulate their brains, you need to get them active, you need to do some training, because otherwise they're using all of that energy and maybe destroying your house," Burr said.
But people walking, running, or biking by Rudi say they would be in hog heaven if he stayed.
"On a hot day, I mean, I probably don't take as many breaks as I should," Wegehaupt said. "So having Rudy here is a good way to just, you know, calm down, get a breath, and then can get back out there."
It should be amusing watching city officials chasing pigs down the street so they can weigh them...
Pigs to live in city
Big deal all blue states allow such actions.
“You must agree with all their viewpoints or you are the enemy, a monster.”
Since they can change their views on a whim that means you must go to Wikipedia at least once a minute to learn what you are supposed to think about any topic!
Ha! You’re right. It’s kind of like the French Revolution. One day you’re a hero. But say the wrong thing, and the next day you’re off to the guillotine.
The only difference with us is that there’s no guillotine (yet). Saying the wrong thing will just get you cancelled. No career left. No reputation left. Still got your head, though.
My niece has pigs pasture raised for meat - the breeding sows are pretty much ‘pet’ pigs, but at 400+ pounds, not neighborhood size & a little large for using a litter box LOL! From my experience with farm animals, pig poop is one of the worst ... stinky stuff.
Side note - one of the Berkie barrows was taken to the county fair, last weekend through this weekend, to take part in a display of various breeds of pigs & their uses (lard, good marbled meat, lots of bacon, etc.). He has been out in the field with the other pigs & didn’t want people touching him. In a couple of days in the fair environment, he is now begging for belly rubs & very vocal (”talking”) when people come by.
Can’t argue with that logic. Stay out of Brown, Milwaukee and Dane counties and you’ll find life here quite grand! :)
That’ll go over well with the muslim population that lives there.
Hmmmmm, now there’s an idea......
Pretty soon Dane County will be swimming in pork...and not just from The State Capitol, LOL!
Sadly, it’s not unusual to see a blonde-haired, blue-eyed female in a burka dragging a bunch of her offspring behind her. :(
Hard to believe women with NORDIC BLOOD flowing through their veins can be so easily brainwashed.
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