Pet pig wins a reprieve

Ellen Watson and her pet pig Piggy-Sue ham it up. Piggy-Sue almost went to the market, with Mrs Watson set to make a reluctant sale, but late yesterday was given a reprieve when Ellen's hubby, Andrew, agreed to let the big porker stay.

Lee Constable

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Family saves pet pig Piggy-Sue

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IT IS the tale of the pig - the plight of Piggy-Sue.

The 100-kilo sow from The Leap who thinks she's a dog.

Owner Ellen Watson had advertised her pet porker in the Daily Mercury for the past week or so.

But late yesterday after a change of heart by her husband, Andrew, and talk of a story in the paper, the pig's bacon was saved.

"I'm not selling her," an overjoyed Mrs Watson said.

"I won't give her up. I love her."

Mrs Watson said Piggy-Sue was too special to her.

"Andrew has finally agreed, well he hasn't said anything."

Not her first pig, Mrs Watson had once another but sadly things went sour.

"That one got a bit aggressive so he ended up in the freezer.

"But I can't eat him, I couldn't."

It's not just Ellen Watson who has formed a close bond with Piggy-Sue.

Taz, a three-legged Australian cattle dog is also best mates with the pig.

"They are very close; they are best friends," Mrs Watson said.

"They lay down beside me for a rest.

"Taz lays down alongside her and licks her ears and eyes."

Mrs Watson said the dog and the pig often walked to the mailbox with her.

"Some days the cat comes with us as well," she said.

Thriving on a diet of scraps, pig pellets and lots of water, Piggy-Sue is a healthy, happy porker.

She loves an afternoon hose down and "runs around the yard all happy" when the hose comes out.

If that's not enough, Piggy-Sue doesn't mind the occasional trot down to The Leap hotel.

"She's been down to the pub with us," Mrs Watson said.

"On Melbourne Cup day she came along with Taz, her best friend."

Mrs Watson said there was an old bloke at the bar who thought he hadn't had that much to drink.

"But when a three-legged dog and a pig walked into the bar he thought he was hallucinating," she said.

6 of our favourite pigs

• Babe would have to be Australia's favourite porker
• Porky the pig was another childhood cartoon great
• Miss Piggy is the world's sexiest pig of all time
• Wilbur the pig from Charlotte's Web always feared ending up on a dinner plate
• The Pink Floyd pig was one of the biggest ever to fly
• Blackie the pig. Eton's famous 400kg 'pig without a permit' who made headlines in 2006