Students, faculty scramble after potbelly pig prank goes wrong
Jun 6, 2018, 7:39 PM | Updated: Jun 7, 2018, 12:43 am
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Pranksters presumable perpetrating an end-of-school stunt that left three potbelly pigs perched outside Highland High School. Animal control officers responded to help pen the porkers and end the pandemonium.
The pigs were found wallowing outside the school Wednesday morning. School administrators said it appeared some students had attempted to bring the pigs inside the building.
Callista Pearson from Salt Lake County Animal Services was called in to gather the porcine and put an end to the hogwash.
“Today is graduation for the school, so they probably thought this was a senior prank,” said Pearson.
The disgruntled swine appeared to be raised as pets, rather than livestock.
When the three little piggies were found squealing in the parking lot, faculty and students tried to catch them.
One little piggie was found hiding under a car. The other two little piggies reportedly cried “wee wee wee” all the way to a neighbor’s backyard after hoofing it across a busy street.
“It could have been worse,” said Pearson. “Someone could have hit the pigs. It could have caused a horrible car accident, so we are lucky no one was injured and the pigs weren’t injured.”
Pearson said the pigs were distressed, as pigs don’t do well in the heat because they have no sweat glands. They were taken to the shelter until an owner could be located.
The pigs were doing fine in the shelter, but officials said when it comes to pranks, leave the animals out of your plans.
“Our biggest concern is that doing a prank is one thing. We understand that is what students like to do that at the end of the year, but we would like them to not do that at the expense of a pet’s life,” Pearson said.
Anyone with information about who the pigs belong to has been asked to contact Salt Lake County Animals Services at 801-743-7045 or slco.org/animal-services. Officials said the pranksters will be responsible to pay the costs associated with keeping the pigs in the shelter.
