ROGERS — Six-month-old Coconut can knock down bowling pins for a treat. She can kneel and sit, and she can stay in her Rogers home for one reason: Coconut is a therapy pig.
Anyone may call the hogs in Northwest Arkansas, but city codes in Bentonville, Fayetteville, Springdale and Rogers say no one can keep one as a pet, except in agricultural areas.
That came as a surprise to Desiree Finkbeiner, who bought the miniature Juliana piglet a couple of months ago as a therapy animal for Neo Patrick, her 9-year-old son. On Aug. 1, animal control officers informed her of a complaint about the animal.
She pulled together a clipboard filled with documents appealing the citation: paperwork from the pig’s purchase, her application to become a therapy animal handler and notes documenting Coconut’s appearances at therapy sessions for Neo, who has Asperger’s syndrome.
The documentation satisfied Chris Griffin, Rogers deputy city attorney. The burden of proof in a situation such as Finkbeiner’s is on the owner, he said
“We’re not saying it’s OK to keep a pig as a pet,” Griffin said. “We’re saying, under these very narrow circumstances, we believe it is a genuine necessity for her son.”
A pig makes a perfect animal for an autistic child, Finkbeiner said. Children with autism spectrum disorders, such as Asperger’s, are sensitive to odors and often frightened by dogs because of a previous bad experience, she said.
“There’s no smell, no dander, no allergies and no preconceived notions of what a pig is,” she said.
Sensory disorder can make it difficult for autistic children to tell how hard they squeeze or push an animal, Finkbeiner said.
“We tried little pets,” Finkbeiner said, “A pig can take blows.”
Once Coconut is fully registered as a therapy animal, Finkbeiner hopes to use the pig with other autistic children, something that takes a special disposition.
Finkbeiner expects Coconut to measure less than 14 inches and weigh less than 30 pounds when grown. The pig now weighs 9 pounds.
How Coconut Works
Finkbeiner said she approached Catherine H. Adams, a behavioral psychologist at the Center for Psychology, about using the pig as part of Neo’s therapy. Neo tells his troubles to Coconut, and it cheers him up, his mother said.
“He won’t talk to people, but he’ll feel comfortable talking to the pig,” Finkbeiner said.
Therapy animals can reduce anxiety and improve self-confidence, Adams said. Autism is categorized by social disorders. Caring for an animal requires empathy, and that can build a bridge to relationships with people.
“The attention that is put on someone else’s needs is crucial to developing social skills,” Adams said.
Coconut shows affection by nudging Neo with her snout and wagging her tail, Finkbeiner said.
Neo said the pig helps him get control.
“She oinks in my ear,” Neo said.
Coconut could be a first for Arkansas, said Margie Liddle, Arkansas Pet Partners evaluation coordinator. The pig will be tested for basic obedience and good manners in February after she reaches her first birthday.
“All of the evaluations and tests are similar to those for a dog,” Liddle said.
During the simulation Coconut will be checked to see if she startles when approached by a dog, a pig’s natural enemy, and if she can ignore a child’s toy and handle being petted roughly.
If Coconut passes, Liddle said, she will be the first registered Pet Partners therapy micro pig in Arkansas.
Against The Law
For those without the therapy designation, owning a pet pig in city limits is out of the question.
Bryan Taylor, a Springdale resident, was told Monday he cannot have a pet pig after his petition didn’t pass a city ordinance committee.
Taylor said he wanted a pet that is different, and he’s familiar with the animals. His pet would have been litter box trained, and he was willing to pay for a permit and certify its vaccinations, he said.
Experience has made officials cautious about pigs in the city, said Jeff Harper, Springdale city attorney. The ordinance was set up because of complaints about odor, and committee members also were worried about the size of the animals.
“They don’t want to open it up,” Harper said.
The average Vietnamese pot-bellied pig is 18 to 22 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds or less, Taylor said. A farm pig is 36 inches tall and weighs 800 pounds or more.
Taylor said he will petition again and is considering a move to the country.
“I’ve got cows and goats on three sides of me here,” he said.
Springdale ordinance outlaws keeping swine except for agricultural operations in agricultural zones. Harper said the committee is unlikely to expand that to residential zones and enforcement could be an issue.
Bentonville also doesn’t allow pet pigs.
“We still consider them swine,” said Darren Warren, Bentonville code enforcement officer.
In Fayetteville, animals traditionally associated with livestock, such as horses, goats and swine, are not considered pets and are allowed only on property zoned as agricultural, said Jesse Fulcher, Fayetteville city planner.
“I think that creates a pretty clear line for the most part,” Fulcher said.
Despite the exception for the therapy animal, Rogers ordinance states: “No person shall keep hogs within the city.”
Finkbeiner hopes to see the code changed and has started an online petition.
“I can understand why there would be a code against farm pigs,” she said, adding people should give pigs a chance.
As for Coconut, Finkbeiner has ordered her a new harness with a custom-designed patch proclaiming her designation: autism therapy pig in-training.
Web Watch
Petition
Desiree Finkbeiner’s petition can be found by visiting change.org and searching the term “pigs within city limits.”
At A Glance
Pig Size
Miniature pigs grow until age 2 or 3, according to the North American Pet Pig Association. Breeders’ statements vary on the size of the animals, but according to the association, a grown pot-bellied pig can stand 13 to 26 inches and weigh 60 to 175 pounds. A micropig is smaller than a miniature pig.
Source: petpigs.com
Therapy Vs. Service Animals
Service animals are strictly defined by the Americans With Disabilities Act as dogs who perform work for those with disabilities. According to PetPartners.org, therapy animals are most typically used by their handlers to benefit others.
Source: petpartners.org