Pines vs. piglets

Porcine pets have to go, city tells resident.

PEMBROKE PINES — Two miniature pet piglets are causing a big stink in Pembroke Pines.

Michael Owens says his pet piglets are “superduper” clean, but his neighbor says they smell. That was enough for code officers to swoop in with an ultimatum.

The two piglets, Frankenstein and Beetlejuice, have until April 18 to get out of town. If Owens doesn’t get rid of them, he could be fined up to $250 a day, said Larry Diaco, the city’s head of code compliance.

“They said pigs are pigs and you have to get rid of them,” Owens said of code officials. “Everyone recognizes these as domestic pets. These are not farm animals. They’re part of the family.”

Owens says he and girlfriend Theresa Shaia plan to take their case to the city’s special magistrate. If they lose, they say they will appeal to the commission.

“I’m not raising these animals for bacon or food,” Owens said. “There’s noth mentation ing about them that makes them a farm animal.”

Pembroke Pines has a 1969 law on the books banning chickens and other farm animals from residential neighborhoods. The same law says residents can only have three dogs.

“We have to interpret the ordinance the best we can,” Diaco said. “Where would we draw the line? We have had people claim that ducks are their pets.”

Other South Florida cities have faced similar controversies over what some might call exotic pets.

Southwest Ranches made national news seven years ago when code officers ordered a family to get rid of a pet pig named Strawberri. Town code only allowed potbellied pigs and Strawberri was a Yorkshire. In the end, the town changed the rules to allow all kinds of domestic porkers.

And five years ago, Coral Springs ordered the removal of a pig named Twinkie, who was purchased as a companion for a boy with Down syndrome. Twinkie got to stay after the family provided medical docu- showing the pig was an emotional support animal.

Owens, 51, heard miniature pigs made great pets and got Frankenstein from a breeder in Homestead seven months ago. Beetlejuice joined the family last month to keep Frankenstein company.

Frankenstein, a slim 45 pounds at 9 months, has 78 followers on Instagram. Beetlejuice, who is 3 months old and weighs 6 pounds, follows Frankenstein wherever he goes. When fully grown, both pigs will weigh about 50 pounds.

They have the run of the house, along with three Lhasa Apsos. The piglets sleep every night in their own special bed set up in the master bedroom.

During the day, they hang out with eight rabbits and seven tortoises in the backyard, which gets cleaned at least three times a week. On Tuesday, it was odor free.

“The neighbor complained about a smell,” Owens said. “There is no smell. We like to live in harmony. If we could find a smell, we’d get rid of it.”

SUSAN STOCKER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Michael Owens and his girlfriend Theresa Shaia play with their miniature piglets, Bettlejuice and Frankenstein, at their home in Pembroke Pines.