A pet pig is at the centre of an online campaign in Mount Isa, with the animal’s owner locked in a stoush with the council in a bid to let her swine stay.
The Mount Isa City Council told Jennifer Hewer she had seven days to get rid of ‘Hambo’ — her black-and-white pig — because he posed a biosecurity threat.
Ms Hewer used social media to publicise to her pet’s plight and so far, more than 2,500 people have signed an online petition in a bid to pressure the council to reverse its decision.
“[For] nearly 10 months, 11 months now, he has grown to be like one of our little dogs, and he barks like a dog too, and he gets hand-fed apples, he’s just one of the most spoilt little pigs you’ll ever find,” she said.
The council said by-laws prohibited the keeping of pigs in “designated town areas” because they could spread foot and mouth disease.
Biosecurity is governed by the council and Department of Primary Industries.
“As much as I feel for this family, council has to comply with its own by-laws and the advice given by the DPI,” Mount Isa Mayor Joyce McCulloch said.
Ms Hewer, who lives on the outskirts of the north-west Queensland mining town, said she was told to give the pig away or release it into the wild.
As part of the petition, Ms Hewer claimed her neighbours had “never complained” about Hambo, who was bathed regularly and taken for walks with their dogs.
This post originally appeared on ABC News.
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