Meet Petunia, A Lost Pig In Search Of A New Home

GROSSE POINTE, MI — The Grosse Pointe Animal Adoption Society has found itself caring for an interesting animal, slightly out of place in the city. Meet Petunia the pig, the Vietnamese pot-bellied pig who has made headlines in the region this week. She was initially thought to be an April Fool’s Day joke, but director Corrine Martin soon learned that she indeed was a lost animal in need of care.

“As an animal shelter we’ve dealt with a lot of different animals but this is the first time we’ve had to care for a pot-bellied pig,” Martin said about the roughly 50-pound, 7-month-old pig that was surrendered to the organization by Harper Woods police on April 1. “It was definitely a surprise.”

So how do they care for a pig? Pretty much like a dog, Martin explained. She gets a cot and a blanket, pig “kibble” (like puppy chow) and lots of attention. Martin believes she was someone’s pet, but that person was trying to “rehome” her.

“We can’t prove it, but we found an ad on Craigslist with her identical picture,” she said. “I hate to say it, but either someone tried to give her away or dumped her. But somehow this pig made it from Eastpointe to Harper Woods on Easter Sunday.”

That’s when residents started calling the police about the loose animal. Like a stray dog, it was a stressful experience for Petunia.

“She’s great now but she was very nervous the first day she came in, just like a dog would be,” Martin said. “She was grinding her teeth a lot which is a form of anxiety in pot-bellied pigs. But by the second day she was eating well, peeing and pooping, and wagging her tail.”

Petunia is house broken and acts like a pet, but pigs aren’t allowed in the Grosse Pointe communities, or surrounding cities like Eastpointe or St. Clair Shores. Martin said she’s gotten several calls from people wanting to adopt Petunia, but she’s also considering working with a pot-bellied pig rescue. Either way, this pig in a blanket needs a new home soon.

The Grosse Pointe Animal Adoption Society has served the Grosse Pointes and neighboring communities by placing more than 11,000 animals in homes since it was founded in 1997. The no-kill organization fosters animals and finds suitable homes for over 500 animals a year.

Photos courtesy Corrine Martin