Melville woman with pet pig forced to move after council upholds animal bylaw

The owner of a domesticated pig in Melville, Sask., will have to start looking for a new place to live after city council voted to uphold its current bylaw, not allowing her to keep him has a pet.

It wasn’t the outcome Mona Partridge had hoped for.

“I’ve had him for three years and to me, he is like one of my kids. It’s like asking someone to get rid of their kids. He’s my baby,” Partridge said.

“I was disappointed in the way they responded to it.”

Her pet Beans is considered livestock under the city’s animal control bylaw, making it against the law to house the pig inside city limits.

She received a letter from the City of Melville on May 20, stating she had to re-home the mini Vietnamese potbelly pig, who weighs about 35 pounds.

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Partridge sent her own letter back to the city, stating her position, along with a petition with over 1,500 signatures of support from people living in Melville.

“I do have some awesome neighbors. The response I’ve got from like 90 per cent of the people in Melville has been amazing,” Partridge said. “I’ve met lots of good people through it.”

Council addressed the issue on June 20, sticking with the city’s initial assessment of the situation.

“Council directed administration to continue the normal enforcement actions pursuant to our Melville animal control bylaw,” said Mayor Walter Streelasky.

Streelasky said the city contacted several cities in the province to compare bylaws when it comes to housing pigs.

“The indicators were, in all cases, this type of animal was prohibited within city limits,” Streelasky said.

“No city has provisions for swine in their animal control bylaw. So on that basis, we made that decision.”

Its decision leaves Partridge unsure of what to do next but is calling on the city to rethink its bylaw.

“It’s definitely archaic. It’s definitely not well researched or thought out,” Partridge said.

“He is not raised for profit or for meat. Potbellies are companions. They’re not farm animals.”

Partridge received her official notice on Monday, stating she had until Aug. 28 to re-home Beans. She said she will start looking for a new home for her and Beans right away.