Finley, Pot-Bellied Pig In Leechburg, Is In Hog Heaven
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LEECHBURG (KDKA) -- Finley is a pot-bellied pig... mint life savers among his favorite treats.
He got a life saver of sorts Tuesday night, when the Leechburg Borough Council voted to suspend enforcement of a local ordinance banning live stock so officials can further review and debate it.
"I think we're giving the council some time to do some more research, bring up some more recent valid research to the table, so that we they understand that Finley is not a farm hog, wallowing in mud," Destiney Griffith, the pig's owner, said after the vote.
"I think [the vote] is a small victory for now," her husband, Cody Griffith, said.
Destiney and Cody were officially married over the weekend.
They put off their honeymoon so they could plead their case before the Leechburg Council, asking permission to keep the animal despite the ordinance.
"Finley is like a dog to me," Destiney told the council at the meeting. "I have to take him to the vet, where he gets vaccinations and was neutered."
About 5,000 people signed an online petition supporting Finley. Another 100 or so put their names on paper petitions.
A small group of supporters showed up at the council meeting, including Kiersten Pearce of Dayton, Pa., and her 5-month old pig, Penelope.
Pearce told KDKA-TV's Ralph Iannotti that her pet "is an emotional support pig. She's registered. She can go anywhere I can go."
When the mayor read a letter from the solicitor, it briefly appeared that Finley might just come up a loser.
"I could find no permitted uses that would allow a pig in a residential area," acting Mayor Wayne Dobos said.
But then, a surprise motion was made to hold off enforcing the ordinance, which gave the Griffiths, at least, a short reprieve.
"What we're going to do is open up the ordinance for debate at ... the next council meeting, when the solicitor is here," council member Christian Vaccaro said. "Until then, we'll be taking no action."
