From the Source

'Runaway' pig nabbed near airport

Inquirer staff writer Brittany Talarico writes:

9 comments

'Runaway' pig nabbed near airport

POSTED: Friday, March 13, 2009, 2:31 PM

Inquirer staff writer Brittany Talarico writes:

A 150-pound Vietnamese potbellied pig named Runaway is looking for a new home after Animal Control found it wandering near the Philadelphia International Airport two weeks ago.

The pig currently resides at Last Chance Ranch, an animal shelter in Quakertown, Bucks County.

Lori McCutcheon, president and founder of the shelter, said she is hopeful Runway will soon have a place to call home.

“Someone is interested in Hamburg, Pennsylvania, but you never know,” McCutcheon said.

To monitor his weight, Runway is on a strict pig diet consisting of apples, carrots, cantaloupe and lettuce.

“He got very fat very quickly,” McCutcheon said. “Pigs have fast metabolisms, but we want to make sure he is on the right nutritional path.”

Runway is not the only pig in residence at Last Chance Ranch. He has two potbellied companions, a baby pig named Holly and the resident pig Sir Higgins the Piggins.

The shelter is also home to chickens, horses, goats, and dogs -- all up for adoption.

McCutcheon said she heard Runway may have been let loose when a horse farm near the airport shut down a year ago.

“We think he was living with a colony of feral cats near the airport for at least a year,” she said. “Runway is very scared of people. Rumor has it someone was trying to barbeque him.”

Staff at the shelter is trying to make friends with Runway by feeding him dog biscuits for treats. The porker has become skittish of humans as a result of his days roaming the streets of Southwest Philadelphia - which explains the name.

“What we are doing now is using a broom to scratch him with, and he is becoming more agreeable to that,” McCutcheon said. “If we sneak up on him and grab him with our hands, he tries to run away.”

Read more breaking news in our From The Source blog.

Inquirer Online Desk @ 2:31 PM Permalink | 9 comments

9 comments

Comments (9)

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:03 PM, 03/13/2009

pot belly pork chops, mm m m m m m m m !

— scorpio27

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:32 PM, 03/13/2009

There was a HORSE FARM near the airport?!? How can that have 1) been good for the horses, 2) cost effective for the breeder, and 3) the most economical use of a presumably large parcel near the airport? (unless it means across the river in Gloucester Co: close as the crow flies, far by bridge)

— phillygoat

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:36 PM, 03/13/2009

it was just jenafur frederick working out...

— natedog

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:30 PM, 03/13/2009

wait a minute. this critter was running around SW philly for god knows how long, and NOBODY turned him into hog maws or baked ham??? did anyone even see him??? what part of SW was he in, sherwood forrest??? if that bad boy was running around south philly, inside of three days, he would be prosciutto and pig's feet.

— scorpio27

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:52 PM, 03/13/2009

If the horse farm was across the river and "close as the crow flies," how would the pig have gotten to the PA side??

— kbc119

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:03 PM, 03/13/2009

I've heard that this breed is not barbeque quality and not tasty at all. The pot bellied pig is supposed to be very smart and does well as a pet. I think he could be housebroken so he can live in a home.

— 123Sesame