Pigs as Pets
picture from the Taipei Times
Yup, it’s true. I’ve seen some on leashes in Taiwan. Some people think they’re better than dogs. Why? because they’re clean, they don’t smell like dogs, they don’t bark like dogs, and they’re very affectionate.
I guess the most popular pigs are the miniature pigs, but some dealers pass of average piglets ie baby pigs to the unknowing customers, only to have them grow up and be huge. There is a trend for some Taiwanese locals to buy the most popular pets, whether it be a poodle or labrador or, well, now piglets and when they get too big or difficult to control, they’ll just take them for a ride and leave them somewhere. As a foreigner in Taiwan, you shouldn’t even think about getting a pet unless you have a long term plan for it. Dumping it on the street will simply not suffice. Saving an animal that has been dumped brings up other issues, but there is a group, Animals Taiwan that may be able to help you if you find an animal that needs saving.
A video showing a pet piglet in Taiwan. It is acting a bit like a dog.
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