When you think about service animals the most common species that comes to mind are dogs. How about if I told you that monkeys, parrots, ferrets, cats, rabbits, miniature horses and even pot bellied pigs are also service animals? Well they are!
According to veterinarian, Lianne McLeod, “pigs are intelligent, readily trained, affectionate, curious, playful, clean, generally quiet, odor free, and usually non-allergenic”. When asked about pigs intellectual level, McLeod reveals that most pot bellied pigs are easily trained, however sometimes their brains can become an issue. McLeod stresses the fact that like all smart animals they enjoy exploring and learning new things. Despite the fact that most people would be pleased to have an intelligent pet, pigs can become a handful when they begin to over explore. Pigs will often times learn how to open bedroom, refrigerator and pantry doors. Despite the fact that their intelligence can sometimes become difficult to handle, they make incredible servos animals.
Not only are pot bellied pigs incredibly smart they are also able to outlive the average dog. Unlike large dogs that live between 12-15 years of age, an average pot bellied pig lives 12-18 years. Handicapped individuals may choose to have a pig over a dog because despite popular belief, they are clean animals, able to be potty trained, do not get flees and shed only two times a year.
According to Suzanne Held of the University of Bristol, “pigs are among the quickest of animals to learn a new routine”. For individuals in need of a service animal pigs make the perfect pet and personal assistant.
Resources:
http://www.slantmagazine.com/assets/film/charlottesweb.jpg
http://www.help-your-self.org/animals.php
http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/potbelliedpigs/a/pbpexpect.htm
http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/potbellied-pigs-the-new-therapy-animals
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/science/10angier.html?_r=0
I really want a pig as a pet because pigs are intelligent and adorable. I know that there are certain types of pigs that are very popular as pets. These pigs are very small and they stay in that size their whole lives. In your blog, you said that pigs are very clean and they don’t have flees. This surprised me a little because every time someone mentions pigs, a picture of pigs in mud pops up in my mind. So it’s a little hard to get used to the fact that they don’t have flees. Here is an article about one type of pig as pets. http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/potbelliedpigs/a/pbpexpect.htm
That piggy is so cute! But also this is very interesting being as most people usually think of pigs as smelly and silly animals. I found another another article about a study done in 1998 about pigs essentially being able to use a mouse on a computer. I will never look at these little piggies the same way again.
One of my best friends wants to get a tea cup pig more than anything, and keep it in her dorm here. Obviously, pigs would not be allowed in the dorms, however, if they are able to be potty trained easily, maybe Penn State would make an exception! I definitely didn’t see the positive to having a pig as a pet, other than that it was cute and kind of original. http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariannarebolini/thatll-do-pig#pqk8ob heres a silly article on why pigs make the best pets!
Hey Chelsea~ I always want to have a pig as my pet haha. Before reading your blog, I did hear that pig is the most intelligent animal but I don’t know why. You mentioned in your blog that you can train able to be potty trained. I was wondering that how can you potty train a pig? does it mean that pig can understand some of our languages and hand gestures? Here is a video about a potty training pot belly pig. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw012Ou-QVs
I think pigs are so adorable! However I wonder how accessible they are to those with disabilities? Pigs lack sweat glands that other service animals do and therefore require certain accommodations. In this article they describe how mud is necessary to their heat regulation and provides other benefits to their health. Have you read anything about weather or not service pigs are housed in these types of environments?
This post caught my eye because I have always loved pigs! How can you not love a teacup pig. Last summer I was in Charleston and saw a girl with a pet pig. Naturally, I went over and met the girl and she began to tell me how easy he was to potty train! He could even sit on command. I personally love pigs, and I think they would make great service animals. I read a an article on the Joy of Pigs and would advise you to read it as well!here
I never thought of a pig as the perfect pet but this does point out some positive aspects. I have however considered getting a teacup pig in the future because they are so irresistibly cute. I wonder if they also have the same traits as a normal pig or if because they are teacup and specially bred if they have certain health problems associated with them. It’d be interesting to explore the differences in the two and have some observational studies comparing how they act differently despite them being technically the same animal. Maybe regular pigs will be the next animal trend.