WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A severely overweight pet pig that was recently taken away from his West Palm Beach owner is now on the mend.
Representatives from Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control said Tuesday that the sizeable swine, named "Pork Chop," is showing improvement after it was removed from a home where it was living.
Dave Walesky, assistant director at Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, said the pig's overgrown hooves have been trimmed, and the animal is now on a controlled diet prescribed by a veterinarian.
The pig is currently being fed 5 cups of grain, twice daily, along with hay — instead of spaghetti and other "trash foods" that officials said the pet was consuming.
"Hopefully we'll see some improvements in the way he walks and the way he loses weight now," Walesky said. "He's definitely in a much better situation."
Walesky said they previously cited the pig's owner multiple times over the last year-and-a-half, giving her a list of resources to get proper care for "Pork Chop."
However, Animal Care and Control said the pig, estimated to be 400 pounds, was still not receiving the appropriate care and the owner moved multiple times, making it difficult to check on the animal's health.
The agency is now going to court on Dec. 12 in an effort to get custody of the pet.
Walesky said a couple of rescue groups have already expressed interest in taking the pig so it can be provided "a life he deserves."
