Community

Escaped ‘Micro Pig’ Hogs Attention in Martins Ferry

Robert A. DeFrank

A 10-pound "micro pig" led city officials on a chase during much of this week, eluding capture until she was cornered Wednesday at Riverview Cemetery.

Humane agent Julie Larish from the Belmont County Hoof & Paw humane society and several volunteers joined in the chase Wednesday. The humane society dubbed the fugitive the "Riverview Pig."

"This is the escaped pig, the most wanted from Martins Ferry," Larish said. "This pig escaped its owner during a transfer from one owner to another. It jumped out. It took off and has been on the run for three days now. She has been running all over the city. They have gotten calls constantly on her. She was really just a scared pig. She's really harmless, but she was really scared, just looking for food and a warm place to lay."

Larish said the current owner is from Butler, Pennsylvania, but she did not know the former owner's origin. They apparently met in Martins Ferry as a "midpoint" to make the transfer.

She added that this is a common issue with goats that are transferred in the area of Belmont County Road 214 and get loose.

Larish said the pig did not injure anyone or cause any property damage while on the loose. The pig did manage to avoid law enforcement's attempts to capture it.

While there had been pig sightings across the Purple City, Larish said the small pig had spent most of her time at the Riverview Cemetery.

"They like the peace and the quiet. They don't mind going adventuring, but they always go back to the peace and quiet," Larish said. "Our concern was coyotes and other wild animals could possibly get her."

The humane volunteers had been after the pig since 9 a.m Wednesday and caught her in the late afternoon.

"We just got to the point where we were trying to corner her, and then after we finally wore her down she didn't run as fast," Larish said, adding that lures and traps proved ineffective.

"She bolted and I tackled her," volunteer Joel McElroy said.

Larish is arranging for the owner to come and pick her up.