Post by Onlyme on Nov 24, 2007 19:04:50 GMT -5
WINONA, Minnesota - A Minnesota woman wants abuse charges filed against an acquaintance who was pet-sitting for her potbellied pig and allowed the animal to get fat.
Michelle Schmitz says her pig, Alaina Templeton, weighed 23 kilograms when Schmitz left her with a co-worker who offered to care for the animal in February, when Schmitz went on medical leave to recover from ankle surgeries.
The Winona Daily News newspaper reports nine months later, the pig weighed 68 kilograms and it took veterinarians 4 1/2 hours to surgically remove the animal's collar.
Officers are investigating whether Alaina was abused by the sitter's neglect and overfeeding.
Investigator Jeff Mueller of the Winona County Sheriff's Department says no charges have been filed against the pig-sitter, whose name was not released.
Schmitz, 22, says she bottle-fed Alaina when she was just 11 days old and kept her on a strict diet to keep her weight down.
When she tried to recover the pig in April, Schmitz said the co-worker wouldn't return her calls. She said she didn't know where the woman lived and when she finally found the woman's farm Saturday, she discovered Alaina's neck had grown around her collar and the pig had trouble breathing.
The pig now wears bandages and is healing from a pressure wound and neck infection.
Schmitz said she cried for three days after she discovered her pet's weight problem.
"That pig is my life," said Schmitz, who has a tattoo of Alaina's name.
Michelle Schmitz says her pig, Alaina Templeton, weighed 23 kilograms when Schmitz left her with a co-worker who offered to care for the animal in February, when Schmitz went on medical leave to recover from ankle surgeries.
The Winona Daily News newspaper reports nine months later, the pig weighed 68 kilograms and it took veterinarians 4 1/2 hours to surgically remove the animal's collar.
Officers are investigating whether Alaina was abused by the sitter's neglect and overfeeding.
Investigator Jeff Mueller of the Winona County Sheriff's Department says no charges have been filed against the pig-sitter, whose name was not released.
Schmitz, 22, says she bottle-fed Alaina when she was just 11 days old and kept her on a strict diet to keep her weight down.
When she tried to recover the pig in April, Schmitz said the co-worker wouldn't return her calls. She said she didn't know where the woman lived and when she finally found the woman's farm Saturday, she discovered Alaina's neck had grown around her collar and the pig had trouble breathing.
The pig now wears bandages and is healing from a pressure wound and neck infection.
Schmitz said she cried for three days after she discovered her pet's weight problem.
"That pig is my life," said Schmitz, who has a tattoo of Alaina's name.
