Year of the Mini-Pig

Smelling an opportunity to turn a huge profit during the Year of the Pig, some Hong Kong pet shops are selling mini-pigs for as much as HK$15,000 (about US$1,923).

Too bad owning one is illegal. Pigs, no matter the size, can't be kept in urban areas, despite being smaller than many of the larger dog breeds; through genetic modification, mini-pigs don't exceed 60cm in length.

People in rural areas who want a mini-pig as a pet must first obtain a license. Pet shop owners get around the law by taking orders and having the pigs picked up the same day they arrive.

But another, sinister problem lurks within the trade; some shops sell farm pigs instead. Keeping a 200-pound swine in a 700 square foot flat would be problematic: it would cost a fortune to feed, be a walking bio-hazard, and it would hog the couch.

Yes, I said hog. Deal with it.

But Hong Kongers are a resourceful bunch: if they can't find a way to get rid of an unwanted pet pig, such as abandoning it as so many do with dogs, they can always eat it.

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