The Perry City Council took up a petition Monday night at its regular meeting from a Perry resident who wishes to keep a miniature pot-bellied pig at her home. But the council set the petite piggy down again when they found the resident herself was not present to advocate on the pig’s behalf.
The resolution before the council called for approving a livestock agreement with Stephanie Mapes of 1708 Seventh St. in Perry.
According to the resolution, Mapes “would like to attain a miniature pot-belly pig at her residence as a pet. The average size of a full-grown miniature pot-belly pig is 30 pounds. The pet will be kept inside, and it will be trained on a leash.”
“I don’t know if anybody else has researched this,” said Council member Barb Wolling, “but a miniature pot-bellied pig is 30 to 40 pounds and 60 to 100 if it’s not a miniature. They’re very expensive to get a well-bred miniature pot-bellied pig. So I have some reservations.”
“It’s new territory for us,” Mayor Jay Pattee said, noting permission from the council had never before been sought for a pot-bellied pig, but he said he has heard rumors “that there actually was a pot-bellied pig that resided in Perry, but I think he or she may have been illegal, so we’ve never had to address this before.”
Few at the meeting seemed aware that Perry had ever been a sanctuary city for an illegal pot-bellied pig, but some seemed palpably alarmed at the thought of Iowa Sen. Jake Chapman and U.S. Attorney general Jeff Sessions starving Perry of its big share of state and federal funds for harboring a little alien pig.
“I’m not opposed to it,” Wolling said, “it’s just that they’re a high-maintenance pet.”
“Any more than anything else?” said Council member Dean Berkland. “I have a 57-pound Boxer that’s pretty high maintenance.”
The remarkable character and behavior of pot-bellied pigs was discussed, including intelligence equalling or exceeding that of dogs.
About 8,500 intelligent hogs are slaughtered daily on the outskirts of Perry at the Tyson Fresh Meats factory. Numerous dogs are reported running at large each month in and around Perry, according to reports from the Perry Police Department.
“It’s like having a 2-year-old around your house constantly,” Wolling said. “I’m not opposed to it. I just have some questions.”
All the council members appeared to have questions.
“The consensus seems to be we’d like them here to discuss it,” said Council member John Andorf. He recommended the council take no action until Mapes can come before the council.
“Stay tuned,” Pattee said. “More on pot-bellied pigs at the next council meeting it sounds like.”
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Perry City Council is Monday, April 17 at 6 p.m. in the Clarion Room of the Security Bank Building, 1102 Willis Ave.
Hilarious article. 🙂 If we ban all the “high maintenance” humans (and pets) in town, we may find both populations drastically reduced. Pets or meat? If the Tyson arrivals get wind of a safe haven, there could be an uprising that would impact our capitalist system. Better make sure the potential pet pig isn’t a community organizer.