Abandoned piglet found in Winnipeg dog park

The recent discovery of a piglet in a Winnipeg dog park is prompting the Winnipeg Humane Society to remind Winnipeggers about responsibly re-homing animals.

The female piglet was found abandoned in a dog kennel at Kilcona Dog Park two weeks ago. The piglet, dubbed “Mudpie,” was taken to Pembina Veterinary Hospital by people who discovered it, and it was then brought to the Winnipeg Humane Society.

“These instances aren’t fairly common here at the Winnipeg Humane Society,” said Brittany Semeniuk, animal welfare specialist with the organization. “We don’t usually see piglets coming through our doors.”

Under current bylaws, pigs are illegal to be kept as pets within city limits or in areas not zoned for agriculture.

Semeniuk said the incident serves as a reminder for people to do their research on animal ownership rules.

“It’s important for people to do their due diligence and make sure they know which animals are allowed to be kept legally, and which animals are illegal within the City of Winnipeg,” she said. “Whether you have an animal and can no longer take care of it, whether it’s legal or not, there are so many alternatives to simply abandoning it.”

Semeniuk said the Humane Society, Little Red Barn Micro Sanctuary, and Earth Terrier Rescue worked together to find a suitable home for Mudpie.

“Pigs are incredibly smart animals. They're as intelligent as a three-year-old child, and so they have very specific needs that need to be met,” she said. “So it wasn't enough just to find someone that had acreage; we had to find someone that had the appropriate facilities and the time available to care for this piglet. And we were able to successfully find someone who fell in love with Mudpie’s story, and is going to basically spoil her rotten for the rest of her days.”

 -With files from CTV's Kimberly Wertman