Wandering pig puzzles Yukon residents

Residents of Spring Street in Yukon are trying to solve a porcine mystery.

Several people have seen a large, black pig roaming around their yards — and nobody is sure where it came from.

Marsha Tomay this week first spotted the swine coming out of the woods behind her house.

“I went out on my back patio and saw it running through the pine trees,” she said. “I had no idea what it was at first, because it was this big, black furry thing, then I realized it was a pig.”

She snapped a few pictures of the intruder and shared them on Facebook, where others in the South Huntingdon Township community of about 700 residents chimed in to say they’d seen it as well.

When Jo Smith heard about the pig, she was worried it might be a familiar face. Smith is the director of Pet Adoption League, based on Spring Street, and she has three pet pigs of her own. She feared that one of her pets, Fatty Girl, might somehow have escaped and explored the neighborhood.

“I honestly thought it was my pig,” Smith said.

But Fatty Girl was safe at home and, upon closer examination of the photos, Smith determined the wandering pig was a stranger — it’s larger than Fatty Girl and has one pink hoof, whereas Fatty Girl’s are all black.

“I don’t know where this pig is coming from,” Smith said.

Just to be safe, she marked Fatty Girl’s rump with a big blue “X” Wednesday and told her neighbors about it, so that next time the mystery pig shows up people will be able to tell for sure whether it’s hers.

Smith has yet to see the pig in person, but based on the photos and description it’s clear it’s a pet pig, not a farm animal, she said.

“A farm pig isn’t real friendly,” she said.

She’s tried to get a closer look, heading to neighbors’ homes whenever they report a swine sighting, but with no luck so far.

“Every time I try to run over, it runs into the woods,” she said.

Wherever the pig calls home, it appears to be well-fed, according to Smith.

Pigs can make good pets, if the owner is able to properly care for them, Smith said. Even so-called mini pigs grow to be about 60 pounds. They’ll root up gardens and need room outdoors.

“They’re very stubborn, and very smart,” Smith said. “If they want something, they’re getting it.”