Pig graduates to rural lifestyle

Petunia, the 3-month-old kunekune cross, which was discovered walking through the heart of Dunedin's student area, with Otago SPCA vet nurse Lisa Gerard. Photo by Gregor Richardson.

Meet Petunia, the 3-month-old kunekune cross which was spotted trotting down the middle of Forth St, through the heart of Dunedin's student area, last Thursday.

A quick-thinking student was able to save Petunia's bacon, dropping off the piglet at the Otago Polytechnic's educational development centre, much to the delight of staff.

"I heard the squealing and thought `what an earth is that?'," administrator Catherine Lindsay said.

The piglet, which was nicknamed Priscilla during her temporary stay but later renamed by the SPCA, entertained staff by fossicking through staff members' bags and eating muffins and apples.

It was believed the piglet had come from somewhere in the area and was possibly a "garbage can for some students", so the SPCA was called to find it a more suitable home.

Otago SPCA vet nurse Lisa Gerard said it was not the first time the organisation had been called to look after a piglet, which had probably escaped from somebody's flat.

Piglets were best suited to living on a lifestyle block as they tended to be noisy and smelly, she said.

And that is exactly where Petunia is heading.

After graduating from Otago Polytechnic, she is going to Otago Peninsula to live with another former SPCA kunekune pig, Princess Piggy.

Last year, a group of University of Otago students adopted a 4-month-old kunekune pig, which spent the summer holidaying at a Pine Hill property, before returning for its sophomore year.

hamish.mcneilly@odt.co.nz