Rescued pig ‘Harold’ gets a new home with Richland County deputy
A pig is now living “a happy life” after being rescued by Richland County Sheriff’s Department Thursday, deputies said.
A plant worker saw a car stop and let the pig out earlier this week near 630 Rosewood Drive, according to deputies. That’s near the end of Rosewood on an industrial stretch past the Fairgrounds.
The pig hung around the area. The employee wasn’t concerned about the pig until Thursday when the pig began to annoy other plant employees, so the employee called the police.
It took deputies about 30 minutes to catch the pig, deputies said. When caught, they loaded the pig into a patrol car.
At the station, deputies placed the pig in one of their K-9 kennels and gave it water and food. Pictures showed the food included a banana and an orange.
“Word traveled quickly through the department that the wayward pig was in need of a good home,” Deputy Sara Blann said.
Investigator David Pitts took the pig home. Pitts has plenty of land outside of town for the pig to roam, Blann said. The pig was named Harold.
Harold “is getting adjusted to country life with Pitts and his family, as well as the other animals he’ll be living alongside, including some goats,” Blann said.
Potbellied pigs, which can be up to 200 lbs, are not uncommon pets and are known for their intelligence and social disposition. But they can be more difficult to keep than a dog, which many people think would be a similar pet, according to thespurcepets.com.
“Pigs are quite smart and curious, and it can be difficult to keep them entertained,” the site says. “Plus, it can be hard to manage a healthy diet for a pig, largely because of their insatiable appetite. Overall, expect to spend a lot of time each day socializing with your pet pig, as well as keeping it exercised through play and outdoor time.”
This story was originally published July 15, 2021 at 3:51 PM.