MANY OF US know the story of Charlotte’s Web. A young girl is immediately fond of a new piglet born in her family’s barn and decides to raise the piglet on her own, as if it were a new puppy or kitten. Of course, Charlotte’s Web is just a child’s tale and, in everyday life, raising a pig as a house pet seems completely out of the question. Or so most would think.

Ellie Mae, whose name is a parody to the character of the same name in the 1960s television series “Beverley Hillbillies,” is a one year old pot bellied pig who also happens to be an amusing and loveable pet to the Iafrate family.
Not only does she share a home with the family but, as her owner Justine Iafrate humorously explains, she often shares bath time too (with the kids of course).

According to Justine, there is no other pet as gentle or well-mannered as Ellie Mae, “She loves to cuddle on the couch and watch TV with us.” There is also no pet as clean as Ellie Mae, as Justine insists, “she would never be caught dead rolling in the mud outside as people often think pigs do.”

Justine Iafrate with Ellie Mae, the family’s pot bellied pig, and her children Skyler, left and Peyton.

But there is a difference between Ellie Mae and your typical farm pig. She is a pot belly, which means she is a domesticated smaller version of a farm pig. As Justine explains, pot bellied pigs have shorter snouts and, if bred properly, they should only reach the weight of a medium-sized dog or less.

These differences are what make pot bellies more appropriate house pets. In fact, Justine assures many of the cliché notions of pigs as messy and unhygienic animals could not be further from the truth.

The Adams family of Port Perry, proud owners of an 11 year old pot bellied pig named Hamlet, couldn’t agree more.
In fact, Katie Adams confidently claims “they’re cleaner than dogs and cats.” She explains that Hamlet loves bath time, prefers to use the litter box in the colder months and loves nothing more than basking in the summer sun.

Aside from their surprising cleanliness, pot bellies still maintain some distinctive “pig-like” qualities. Justine says pigs are known for being highly intelligent animals and the pot belly is no exception to this rule. Besides watching TV, Ellie Mae is more than eager to sit, shake a “hoof,” and play dead.

But even more impressive than her ability to master typical dog manoeuvres, is her ability to open cupboards, ring bells when she wants outside and alert the house when Justine’s daughters are almost home from school.

“Ellie Mae just knows when the bus is going to arrive. She starts to make this noise that sounds like a honk,” explains Justine with a laugh. “And then she runs to the window making this honking sound, it is so funny to watch.”

The Iafrate family can attest that Ellie Mae is quite the comical pet. Her honking noise is just the beginning in a long line of hilarious stunts she manages to pull-off, much to her family’s delight.

Justine recalls one particular incident when Ellie Mae managed to “intoxicate” herself with some leftover Christmas booze; proof that, just like farm pigs, pot bellies are curious creatures that like to “nose” around.

“Friends of ours had brought over ‘Naughty and Nice’ shooters for a dinner party we were hosting. We put them in the liquor cabinet and, long story short, Ellie being the clever pig she is managed to pull open the cabinet door and engage in drunken festivity while we were away.”

As Justine recalls, Ellie was clever enough to know that she would never be able to open the bottles. Instead, she went straight for the vodka shooters and proceeded to open and drink all six of them. “There was not a drop of alcohol left on the floor,” Justine says with a laugh.

Of course, as any pet owner would, Justine immediately panicked and thought the worst as alcohol is highly toxic to animals, but Ellie Mae seemed to be fine the next morning despite being “a little hung-over.”

Aside from all the comic relief Ellie Mae has provided for the Iafrate family, her most note-worthy contribution is her joyful companionship and loving nature. “She is great with the children and with our two dogs,” Justine says. “We have never had any issues with her and it’s because pigs are such gentle and calm animals.”

Justine also explains that pot bellies possess a variety of other traits that make them more than ideal family pets. “Many don’t realize that pigs are hypoallergenic because they have hair and not fur.”

Katie Adams with Hamlet

In fact, Katie Adams explains this factor was one of the reasons her family decided on a pot belly over a dog or cat. “My brother is allergic to fur,” she says. “That’s why pot bellies are a great option for people with allergies.“

And, while all pets require a lot of responsibility, Justine says she would not equate the commitment level of a pot belly to that of a dog (she would know, she has both). “They’re not quite as needy as a dog, but not as independent as a cat,” she says.

Despite what some may think, owning a pet pig is far from a new trend. As Justine explains, they are especially popular pets in Texas and about twenty years ago pot bellied pigs were also common here. However, Ontario has since passed by-law restrictions which prohibit people living in typical residences from owning pigs.

Justine finds this “unfortunate,” as many families who currently have pot bellies pigs know the joy that comes along with owning one. Justine believes they may never be able to find that same companionship with another animal. If dog-lovers are dog-lovers, it seems only natural that pig-lovers are truly pig-lovers.

Watching Justine playfully snuggle with Ellie Mae and seeing the assortment of pictures of the loveable pig and the children gracing the walls certainly indicates the affection this family has for their pet.

Similarly, hearing Katie gush about Hamlet and his adorable antics is enough to see the special bond that also exists for the Adams’ family. Perhaps owning a pig as a household pet doesn’t seem so odd after all.

Of course before deciding to adopt a pot bellied pig, it is important to thoroughly do your research. Pot bellies should be obtained from reputable breeders and will require good quality pig food, veterinary care and will need to be spayed or neutered. They are also social animals and will require lots of attention and interaction.

For more information, visit the North American Pot Bellied Pig Association (NAPPA) at www.petpigs.com.

By Christina Coughlin
Focus on Scugog