Pig in a poke: garden thief caught (+ video)

Archie Ross keeps an eye on a feral pig which had been munching away on his garden. Photo by...
Archie Ross keeps an eye on a feral pig which had been munching away on his garden. Photo by Stephen Jaquiery.
Archie Ross had the look of a man who had brought home the bacon yesterday.

The Concord man, who was down two rows of potatoes and about 20 lettuces courtesy of a thief of the night chipping away at his garden during the past few days, woke up yesterday morning to find the culprit was a feral pig.

‘‘I [had] thought it was a dog, but a dog wouldn't eat spuds.''

The female Captain Cooker pig was caught on Wednesday night, in a trap set up by Dunedin City Council staff earlier in the day and reinforced with waratahs by Mr Ross.

Mr Ross woke up about 6am yesterday to discover the pig had taken the bait. He then called the council to deal with it.

Council animal control officer Alister Wilden said it was likely the wild pig had been taken in by a farmer as a piglet.

‘‘The most likely scenario is a hunter has fed the pig and it's got bigger and broken out.''

Mr Wilden tested the pig's temperament by feeding it bread and carrots, before opening the cage and tying a rope noose around its neck.

The animal fought but was contained by Mr Wilden, who picked it up and put it in a council van.

The 8 or 9-month-old pig was taken to the council's animal pound in Malvern St and advertised as impounded stock on the council's website. It would also be advertised in local newspapers, he said.

Mr Wilden said he had attended one other incident of a feral pig being on the loose, when one tried to get into a car in Junction Rd, Waitati, last year.

damian.george@odt.co.nz

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