If you are thinking about selling or purchasing Micro Pigs there are important facts that you need to know:
- How to keep the animals happy and healthy;
- The legal requirements;
Remember think before you buy
Do not make any "snap decisions" to purchase a Micro Pig as this may led to serious consequences for you.
These pigs remain agricultural animals and as such they are subject to exactly the same disease controls and regulations as pigs kept in commercial livestock herds.
What you need to know
As a pig owner you will have a number of legal obligations, these include:
- Registering where your pig will be kept;
- Registering the arrival of your pig and obtaining a herd number;
- Laws also govern the movement of pigs between premises i.e. you can not take your pig for a walk in the neighbourhood unless you obtain a walking licence and agree a route with Animal Health;
- Your pig will have to be properly and legally identified:
- There are strict rules regulating to what pigs can be fed, for example it is illegal to feed kitchen scraps to pigs;
- Pigs can not be taken to the vet's if they require treatment, the vet must be called out;
Failure to comply with the current legislation could leave owners with hefty fines and being disqualified from keeping animals in the future.
For the latest information and guidance please visit the government website.