pet pigs?

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pet pigs?
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rhubarb

Joined: 08 Aug 2005
Posts: 49

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 05 2:47 pm Post subject: pet pigs?
anyone ever kept pet pigs as house pets??

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 05 3:01 pm Post subject:

we did for a while, a large black, had him from about 4 days old

then we ate him

he got too big for the house and frankly, that is what they are for.

archie was a great guy but it was his time to go

if they stayed Babe size, more people would have them as pets but once they start to grow you have to be practical

he used to lay in front of the fire and he was litter trained and a lovely animal, we took him for walks and everything but you can't do that now..............

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 05 3:06 pm Post subject:

Nanny wrote:

we took him for walks and everything but you can't do that now..............

You can, but you first have to get a "pig-walking license"!

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 05 3:08 pm Post subject:
can you still? what about goats then? i assumed that since hoof and mouth you can't walk any cloven hoofed animal............i always wanted to walk my goats around the lanes along with the dogs but didn't think i could...........

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 05 3:10 pm Post subject:
I received my herd mark in February, and it was in the Defra regs then. Don't know about goats, as I've never kept them.

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 05 3:21 pm Post subject:
i will check with them i think as my husband saw someone locally walking 4 dogs and a couple of pygmy goats this weekend........ it would be lovely if we could if a trifle chaotic

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 05 3:23 pm Post subject:
We will expect pictures

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 05 3:28 pm Post subject:
wait till it happens first 2 greyhounds, 4 goats and 2 donkeys all out walking together......... it wouldl be a sight wouldn't it? i suppose we could put the donkeys and goats in a long string and then walk the dogs alongside............ we could be a pack train..........everybody bar the dogs wearing packs to deliver local goods or do picnics what an idea..........

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 05 3:30 pm Post subject:
Why should the dogs be left out? https://www.allpetsconsidered.com/xq/aspx/pID.2248/id.1/catid.12/subid.236/page./qx/productdetails.htm

Azura Skye

Joined: 14 Jun 2005
Posts: 2199
Location: Carmarthenshire

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 05 10:17 pm Post subject:
Nanny - thats awful! I can't believe you ate your pet... it really does NOT matter that it was a pig, its either meat or for petting, crossing between the two is strange and wrong.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Oct 19, 05 6:03 am Post subject:
I think I'd find it hard to not treat 'food' animals as pets so I can't see anything wrong with eating a pet pig. Not sure if I could do it though.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed Oct 19, 05 6:35 am Post subject:
Not all in one go anyway.

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Wed Oct 19, 05 8:22 am Post subject:

why is it wrong?

we took him on thinking he wouldn't make it and assuming he would die, he didn't , one night at a somewhat rowdy dinner party we sat feeding him his late night feed in the dining room, he was a nice pig and i would loved to have kept him but it wasn't to be

in my heart of hearts, i knew we couldn't keep him but he had a wonderful life for several months until the end.

it's like that with all our farm animals that we have kept

every single one of them has had a name and the best of lives but every single one of them has had the chop as well.

you have to call them something besides shithead (though they all get called that.)

i have all kinds of pets be they dogs or cats or horses or cows but it doesn't stop me from eating some of them

Azura Skye

Joined: 14 Jun 2005
Posts: 2199
Location: Carmarthenshire

Posted: Wed Oct 19, 05 12:35 pm Post subject:

fine, you took him in, thinking there was something you could do for him.. or rather yourself; seeing as his life was destined to end so you could have your sunday dinner.
But I just think it's strange because with a pet, you realise the intelligence of the animal, appreciate its companionship and usually form a bond. With a farm animal, you try to block those things out as you know its never going to be, the animal will die for you.
It's great, of course, that your animals get a good life, or so you say, shithead doesn't really sound like the name you give a respected animal that will have to be killed for meat, but hey.

and your last sentence, do you eat your cats as well? I rather hope you do as then your philosophy truly covers all your animals, and you don't differentiate between meat and pet, (as you say you do).

Naturally, you live your life as you see fit. I just guess you have very thick skin. As long as your animals ARE kept well when they are alive then that is all anyone could hope for.
The majority of people do see a difference between meat and pet, this is why i said it was strange. Wrong because the animal's life is a lie.
My brother has three pigs, that are neither pet nor meat, and it infuriates me! they have NO lives... they should either be destined for the table, or the grave - not a life of nothing.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Oct 19, 05 12:51 pm Post subject:
Would it not be better to treat all animals as if they are pets, even those we wish to eat? I would struggle to eat a well loved pet but I know this is my problem and if I can get over it the animal will have a far better life.

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