Animal Sanctuary Inundated With Abandoned Pets Warns Against Myth of ‘Mini’ Pigs: ‘They’re Gunna Get Bigger’

An animal sanctuary in Kuma, Idaho is sounding the alarm over a rise in pigs being dropped off at their facility, warning prospective pet owners that contrary to popular belief, 'mini' or 'teacup' pigs, do get bigger.

The Dominifarm Animal Sanctuary said they’re receiving calls from pig owners surrendering their pets because they’ve gotten bigger than they expected, succumbing to 'misinformation' about the size their pets will grow to.

Dominifarm told Idaho News that most pig owners are told their pigs won’t grow bigger than a tea cup, which is far from the truth. 

Mini, micro or teacup pigs do not actually exist, the owner of the farm said in a Facebook post. The animals grow for up to five years and the smallest ones still weigh in at an average of 160 pounds. 

Dominique Delobbe told the news outlet that the tiny pigs are desirable to pet owners but they’re often deceived into thinking they’ll stay that size forever. 

"You know, they buy them when they are small like that. And they expect them to stay small like that, so they call them teacup pigs, or micro pigs. It doesn't exist. The pigs that you buy are baby pigs that are about eight to nine weeks old. And they're gonna get big,” Delobbe told the outlet. 

The owner also went to Facebook to warn others about the allusion that the animals are normal house pets like dogs or cats. 

“Pigs are smart, territorial, and strong-headed. They are not your indoor average pet. They belong to a herd, need a pasture to play, root, and a mud pit to keep cool. There are no local boarding facilities to keep your pet pig when you go on vacation,” the post read. 

The organization went on to plead with pet owners to consider the toll caring for a pet pic has on the sanctuaries as they are underfunded to take care of the influx of surrendered pigs. 

“Sanctuaries like ours are underfunded, understaffed and overworked. Pet pigs will live between 15 and 20 years. They are expensive to maintain yet most owners will expect us to pay for sterilization, provide food, shelter, daily care, hoof & tusk care, veterinary care, for their pets for the rest of their lives - without even considering supporting us,” the post concluded.