By JEFF STITT
[email protected]
The Year of the Rat will be recognized by the Chinese Zodiac in 2020, but 2019 was its Year of the Pig, and the closing week of 2019 certainly ended up being prosperous for one lucky pig who was rescued after taking a stroll through Dravosburg.
“It’s not everyday we respond to a ‘pig in the road’ call,” McKeesport police Officer Charles Thomas said.
On Dec. 21, Thomas and city police Officer Nick Probola were alerted by Allegheny County 911 to Dravosburg to investigate reports of a pig “leisurely strolling the streets of Dravosburg,” according to an incident report.
McKeesport Police Department provides police services for Dravosburg.
Driving through the borough, the officers spotted the swine in question at the intersection of Elizabeth Street and Maple Avenue. Assisted by an unidentified “concerned bystander,” Thomas wrapped the pig in a blanket and then called animal control officer Dawn Weichler of McKeesport-based Sable Kennels.
“Upon arrival, we saw a very happy piggy who was taking a stroll down Elizabeth Street into the ravine,” Weichler wrote in an animal control report. “All involved helped to lift her into the SUV. On the way to the kennel she was bucking like a bronco bouncing the SUV.”
Weichler wrote that it was “a fun ride.”
Sable Kennels looked after the pig, who has been named Holly Hocks, for a couple of days. Weichler was hoping Holly Hocks’ owner would come forward. When she realized Holly had been intentionally abandoned, Weichler reached out to volunteers from Pigsburgh Squealers Rescue to ask for assistance finding a home for Holly Hocks.
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