Vt. town says woman's pet house pigs must go
ESSEX, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont woman considers her pigs to be pets, but town officials say they're farm animals and have no business living in a residential neighborhood.
The zoning board in Essex has given Florence Gruber and Alan Tsefrekas until Jan. 22 to remove an estimated 30 to 40 miniature potbellied pigs from their home.
Gruber told the board Thursday that her pigs use litter boxes and that the adult animals weigh 50 to 100 pounds. She's given them names like Larry, Nadia, Olive and Snow White Sleepy Girl.
The Burlington Free Press reports that neighbors told the board that the pigs must go.
Gruber says the pigs are up for adoption.
The zoning board in Essex has given Florence Gruber and Alan Tsefrekas until Jan. 22 to remove an estimated 30 to 40 miniature potbellied pigs from their home.
Gruber told the board Thursday that her pigs use litter boxes and that the adult animals weigh 50 to 100 pounds. She's given them names like Larry, Nadia, Olive and Snow White Sleepy Girl.
The Burlington Free Press reports that neighbors told the board that the pigs must go.
Gruber says the pigs are up for adoption.
Okay - I was on her side until they said she had THIRTY OR FORTY!!  That's way out of pet territory and deep into insanity.
30-40 pigs and "available for adoption" sounds like a breeding operation to me.
30 to 40 animals in a residence which grow to 50-100 lbs as adults? Uhhh... can't possibly imagine why the town council would object to that! </sarcasm>
Can you say Hoarder? If she had just one we would not be hearing this in the news.
Umm....3 or 4 tops. I'd start to call that a little crazy. 30 or 40 and you're insane.
Yes, 30 to 40 is excessive. I understand the decision in this instance. However, in a State where Live Free or Die is the motto, to hell with the zoning council or anyone else for that matter. Her property. End of story.
 @ETSubmariner Actually, that is New Hampshire's state motto!  But you're right, that's way too many pigs.  How the heck many litter boxes does she have?  Yikes.
30 to 40 anything is excessive when it comes to pets in a residential area. If you want that many animals then do what's best for the animals (and your neighbors) and move to a farm.
bacon bits.
If it was an old lady with 40 cats, we'd think she was kind of out there. Â But 40 pigs? Â Oh yeah, *way* out there. Â If she has to put some up for adoption, I have room in my freezer.......
At least let her keep Snow White Sleepy Girl.Â
Pigs are smarter than most house pets and the pity is that we consider them bacon. I hope they find good homes, but yeah--that's way too many for one person. A couple should be more than enough.
Like everyone else said. One or two pigs, get over it. Thirty to 40 pigs? That's a bacon factory.
Sounds like another hoarder problem to me.
One or two are pets. 20+ is a farm!!!
If it was just one, I'd say let her be, but 20-30? That's just ridiculous, and it's cruel to the animals. Pigs are not indoor pets. I agree with SV1G, one can only imagine what that place smells like....
I have a potbellied Pig and they are cleaner that dogs or cats. She goes outside to relieve herself but could be trained to use a litterbox. She can't have pigs, but I bet her neighbors dogs and cats are allowed to crap in her yard......She has too many, but this story says nothing about them being unhealthy or not cared for. If she adopting them out then the local Humane Society must be okay with the conditions they are living in........quit jumping to conclusions.
Make that "20-40"!!
I can only imagine what that house smells like.............