Big problems with mini pigs

When the miniature pigs grow bigger than the size promised by their breeders, there is burdening done on the shelters and the adoption homes for these animals. Is there a way to resolve this issue by imparting the right education to the owners looking forward to purchasing the mini pigs?
There are many forums and social websites on the web illustrating the real examples of some people who buy small pigs for keeping at home. They are not aware of the fact that the pigs grow till the age of 5 and become sexually mature within a few months of their birth. By actually seeing the picture of a pig parent, it is not viable to find out the real growth of the pig as they grow up. The stories of abandoning the pigs when they become too hefty to be kept at home are available in a big number. It is sometimes very painful for the homeowners to leave their pets after 2-3 years of the association with them but it becomes too difficult to keep a huge pig at home. Sometimes, the pigs are sent just at the age of 5-7 months by knowing that they are growing beyond the right limit.
There are many cases heard where the breeder is thought to dupe their clients to buy the pigs who would actually turn huge within a year. Teacup pigs are named so as the size of the pig is too tiny in the beginning phases of their life. The growth of a pig is very rapid and you won’t realize it till you’ve kept them once in your lifetime. These animals make a great house pet, like a dog or a cat.
Mini pigs are the smaller versions of the farm pigs but there are not many of the actual teacup pigs in the world, as it seems. The thumb rule is that the pig you’re thinking about purchasing should be bought from a reputed source. It is the most essential thing to make your choice as there are many breeders who adopt the malpractices of underfeeding and inbreeding their pigs and tell the buyers that the little piglets are actually adults. You need the right knowledge about these animals before even getting thought of bringing them home. The reason for this education is that most of these animals end up in the overburdened shelters or are sent into farms after getting bigger in size.
Educating the public
There is great news. The rescuers and reputed breeders are making efforts to help the public in understanding these pigs and regulate the laws in the US and Canada for these pigs. There are many pig sanctuaries in the US at present and there are funds being raised from the pig loving community to help the people in making the right choice by bringing the right pig home.
The concept of mini pigs was initiated in 1986 when the potbellied pigs from Vietnam were imported in the zoos of the United States. This came into the consideration of the private breeders and they took advantage of this new breed. Some began to inbreed or create the small-breed lines by underfeeding or getting the smaller versions for pig mating. These strategies kept on changing and the pigs were produced in a much smaller size. However, the adult pig reached the size of a dog and never remained too tiny. The pigs are smaller in size when they are born but keep on growing till the age of 4-5 years which makes their weight increase quite unpredictable.
Till date, the mini-pig trading in America has been unregulated and has no specific rules for breeding or selling. Some organizations are working upon the same to change these things and the recent establishment of American Mini Pig Association is formed. This association consists of over 250 teacup pig breeders all over the United States working to create ethical rules and height-weight classifications for the mini pig breeds. The breeders are instructed to give the pigs only by spreading the right education among the people who are willing to get the pigs home. Understand the pet before getting them home is the most advisable and preferred step taken by the owners.
If you’re thinking about getting a pig, there are adoption and fostering options available for the abandoned pigs. These pigs are longing for love and affection from the owners. It is challenging to even think about getting an adopted pig home. The reason is that these pigs might have developed a tough attitude or are not so easy to deal with in comparison to the normal pigs. It might be troublesome to train them but a patient owner could do it with persistent efforts. Sanctuaries blame the breeders for the rescued mini-pigs.
There is a lot of time spent by the associations to educate and spread awareness about the mini pigs to the general public. There are specialized sessions for the breeders conducted to make them understand their responsibilities and keep them aware of the ethical approach to follow while selling the pigs. It is the responsibility of breeders to spay and neuter piglets and find them new homes which would actually take care of them. It is not good to spoil the life of a pig if the owner is not sure about keeping them. The poor pigs can’t speak or tell their problems but the right breeders can associate them with responsible people who can actually take care of the pigs like their children.
Best Friends Animal Society has taken in the stray pigs or the pigs left behind by people. They take up donations to manage these pigs. The number of sanctuaries for pigs has been growing and this overcrowding is an alarming situation as the donations are very less than the expenses of the organizations. With the mini-pig problems growing on, there has to be a check made on the selling of teacup pigs to avoid their burden on sanctuaries.