Could I keep a pig in my London garden?

[TheDullWitch]

I watched Gordon Ramsey do it on the F-word. It could eat all the apples, kitchen waste, create useful manure, be an interesting pet/dinner.

I have a longish 100ft+ garden with a bit at the bottom away from houses and neighbours. Just worried about the foxes. (Fox Vs Pig: who'd win?) Is there any reason why I shouldn t, countryfolk?

Or should we just get kittens?

not sure but definite nomination for top thread title! I think the answer is yes, but I seem to remember GR saying it cost him £3k to set it all up. and, are you going to become attached and want to keep it into its old age?

don't think kittens are as tasty and not much meat on them

That s partly because the fool fed it on cherry beer! (which did not even improve the flavour) I suppose there's the pen, vet bills, pig food. I d keep drink the beer myself. My boys are ruthless carnivores, I think they'd be slobbering and thinking of bacon.

Was wondering if I need a pig licence or summat.

Erm - would this help? Might be rather more information than you need, though!

It seems like the perfect pet. When the kids get bored of it - as they soon will - we just kill it and eat it.

i dunno
you need princesspeahead to tell you about stuff liekt hsi

visions of your neigbours' reactions to you keeping a pig

ROFL

yes do it

You will need very firm fencing, I think.
And I wonder how you go about getting your pig slaughtered and butchered?
I hope you go ahead - looking forward to more updates! Can pigs live happily by themselves? you might have to get two.

please cna we chosoe a name

Hmmm, if her name is indicative, you might be that neighbour, Twig!

Thank you so much JackieNo for the New Pig Owner info. You have to comply with a whole bunch of boring regulations. But this cheered me up

PET PIG WALKING LICENCES ? Licences can be issued to take pet pigs for walks ? For a licence you need to contact your local Animal Health Divisional Office ? Your route will need to be approved ? If the Veterinary Officer at the Animal Health Divisional Office believes there is a risk with your route it will not be approved ? Routes may not be approved due to proximity to: a livestock market, high health status pig farms or fast food outlets, etc

Would the smell bother you? When I was a child a friend of my dad kept pigs in their suburban plot (it was quite a large garden though, possibly bigger than yours) and the whole house stank of pig poo. They did have more than one though.

no shes used to the smell

Lol at taking your pig for a walk - and not being allowed to take it past a fast food outlet.

I wouldn't change my pig in any public places though. I d be sure to use proper pig nappy facilities.

oh please nad no sasusage rolls
it jsutw oudlnt be right in this instance

the name is indicative (I've asked before) but I think she's on the right side of the tracks

ill order a rasher

PLEASE get a gloucester old spot

Oh that is a cute piggy. I shall take that one for a walk with pride.

google it
t her are LOads of them
you coudl accessorize to match

pmsl at the pig-walking license. why aren't you allowed to go past fast-food outlets?? for fear of offending the pig or the customers? and do you need a pig-sized pooper scooper? oh PLEASE get one (a pig, that is). Winston Churchill was very fond of his pigs. He said, iirc, that they lack the stupidity of dogs and the superiority of cats. He saw them much more as equals.

vietnamese pot-bellied?

just to be boring.

it is now illegal to feed a pig (or any other animal destined for the human food chain) any kitchen waste whatsoever. yup, even potato peelings.

you'd need to buy proper pig feed. don't know where you'd get that in london.

to be doubly boring, it would be v cruel to keep a single pig - they are deeply sociable and need to be in at least pairs.

I don't think you can keep a pair of pigs in a 100ft garden, no.

PS, pig would win against fox

Not even a pair of small pigs?