Did your Pig Run away? Here's kow to Catch It


Pigs are great escape artists. You wouldn't believe what they can
get out of and into. They have been known to chew right through
chain link fences, crawl under fences through spaces you wouldn't
think they could fit, lift wooden poles right off their supports,
and muscle their way through briar patches - all of these often
with resultant injuries. Pigs can puzzle out how to get out of
things and yes they can climb if they want to. Some of the
smaller pigs can even jump!

Pigs have a natural instinct to root and dig around in the dirt,
so they are capable diggers and may dig under a fence or wall and
escape. (They usually aren't trying to actually leave their pack
(you) and their food source; they just think the grass is tastier
on the other side of the fence. But they still can get into big
trouble or danger when loose.)

Catching a pig once it escapes is challenging and can end up with
someone or something being injured if it is not done properly.
But often once your pig gets hungry it will come back to where
the food is; pigs are not stupid and they like to eat. So if you
live in the country and there aren't loose dogs or large
predators around, you may not have to panic and mount a search,
but just wait until evening and feeding time. But otherwise, you
should find the pig and bring it home as soon as possible, as
dogs will attack a lone pig, and so might angry homeowners whose
gardens your pig just ate.

You will need two groups of people to find your pig: One group to
fix the fence where the pig escaped and one to search for the
pig. The group that is searching for the pig should be two or
three adults who are familiar to the pig. A lot of noisy
activity, people and animals will only frighten the pig and make
it harder to catch.

Have some antiseptic spray, your pigs favorite treats, some rope,
and a wheelbarrow on hand. Pigs are not the stealthiest creatures
in the world and often when you go out searching you will hear
the pig clumping about and being generally noisy. When you
approach the pig, speak to it in a soothing voice and keep
yourself in its eyesight at all times. If you can, use the treats
at this time to lure the pig into a pen or a space that can be
closed.

If your pig is already in distress, luring it with treats may not
work. If your pig is distracted, talking in a high voice may get
its attention again. In a worst case scenario you may have to
grab it, tip it, and tie its feet with a rope. If you do that the
pig will scream because pigs hate to be confined, but it won't be
injured. You can then lift the pig into the wheelbarrow and cart
it home that way.

If your pig is happy with you and likes being with you, often it
will calm down once you untie it in its pen. Put some antiseptic
spray on any scratches and wounds. Do not yell or chastise your
pig for escaping, it is just being a pig. Be sure to fix where
you pig escaped from and get some sturdier fencing. Once a pig
figures out that it can't escape it usually won't try that spot
again. If your pig is not already spayed or neutered you should
get it done as soon as possible because some of that wanderlust
can be attributed to hormones and natural instinct to mate.

We hope you will never need this advice, but we also hope that if
you ever do, these suggestions will help your pig's adventure end
well and safely for all concerned.


Elegant Plush Pigs & all Animals