This little piggy has gone to the dogs.<\/p>\n
An adorable \u201cservice pig\u201d has been welcomed into a popular Brooklyn dog park with open paws, even running off-leash with petite pooches \u2014 despite a city ban on pet pigs,<\/a> The Post has learned.<\/p>\n The pint-sized playmate took the internet by storm after appearing in a now-viral TikTok video<\/a> and on the popular Good Boys of New York<\/a> Instagram account.<\/p>\n The pig is seen scampering with his furry friends off-leash inside Maria Hernandez Park in Bushwick, Brooklyn.<\/p>\n The bite-sized baconer was spotted prancing with pooches on Saturday inside the park. Liya Eliazar<\/p>\n \u201cThrowing raw bacon inside a dog park is crazy,\u201d one TikTok user wrote of the encounter Saturday.<\/p>\n \u201cBabe is definitely tough,\u201d another said.<\/p>\n While the internet is going hog-wild over the pet, dog owners at the pig\u2019s home turf were hardly whining over the swine.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not that bizarre,\u201d said 26-year-old Maria Hernandez Park visitor Ellie Nighswander, a publicist.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve definitely seen people bring parrots and just put them in the tree,\u201d she added. \u201cThere are definitely exotic animals that come out every once in a while, but I\u2019ve never seen a teacup pig yet, so now I\u2019ll be back every day to check.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThrowing raw bacon inside a dog park is crazy,\u201d one TikTok user wrote of the encounter Saturday.<\/p>\n \u201cI bring my dog to this dog park pretty often \u2013 I\u2019ve never heard of a pig being here, but honestly, this is Bushwick: so it\u2019s not the weirdest thing I\u2019ve ever heard,\u201d said 22-year-old student Jordan Miller. \u201cI kind of wish I met it.\u201d<\/p>\n Miller called the species-mingling harmless, so long as the piglet remains teacup-size and if \u201csomeone is keeping an eye on it.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all just about responsible pet ownership,\u201d he asserted.<\/p>\n A puppy plays with its new pig playmate at Maria Hernandez Park in Bushwick, Brooklyn. tiktok\/@captain_griffon<\/p>\n Experts, however, warn that so-called teacup pigs are just a bunch of hogwash.<\/p>\n \u201cMini\u201d or \u201cteacup pigs\u201d are a misnomer used by breeders, and are either inbred and deliberately malnourished, according to National Geographic.\u00a0<\/a> <\/p>\n The pigs will grow up to 100 pounds or more, and often end up in shelters or are euthanized once they outgrow their living quarters.<\/p>\n The piglet could also face danger well before it even reaches senior status.<\/p>\n \u201cPigs are prey animals and dogs are predators,\u201d John Di Leonardo, executive director of animal advocacy group Humane Long Island, told The Post. <\/p>\n \u201cLetting a piglet run off leash at a dog park surrounded by potential predators not only puts the piglet at risk, but it\u2019s illegal.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n While locals say Bushwick\u2019s beloved bacon is no pig deal, experts say otherwise. tiktok\/@captain_griffo<\/p>\n The animal rescuer added that pigs are poorly adapted to city living and, as herd animals, require the companionship of other pigs to thrive, \u201cas being alone can lead to stress, depression and behavior problems.<\/p>\n \u201cImprinting a piglet on humans or dogs is dangerous and cruel, especially in an urban environment where they will quickly outgrow city living to weigh in at hundreds of pounds,\u201d he added, urging Bushwick locals to report the exploit to the city health department.<\/p>\n Pigs that are illegally harbored in the city risk hefty fines or even removal by force from the city, as was nearly the case with Staten Island\u2019s Lucy the Pig \u2014 until she was pardoned by Mayor Eric Adams this summer after a dramatic dispute.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIn NYC, pigs are prohibited to be kept as pets,\u201d a spokesperson from the Department of Health said in a statement. <\/p>\n \u201cPigs are often advertised as mini or teacup in size. However, pigs only stay small while they are young, growing in size as they mature. Many pet pigs are relinquished by owners who are unaware and unable to care for a large animal.<\/p>\n \u201cPig manure is especially odorous, and may be problematic for neighbors, and pigs can become aggressive toward people. Pigs also need outside space and companionship of other pigs to thrive. <\/p>\n \u201cAll of this makes it inappropriate to keep pigs in our dense urban environment. In addition, there is no USDA-approved rabies vaccine for pigs.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s unlikely neighbors will report the beloved pig mascot, however, as even those who were unaware of the pig\u2019s existence told The Post they were eager for a sighting.<\/p>\n \u201cI would feel comfortable with my dog being around a pig for sure,\u201d said Mark Sano De Los Reyes, a 45-year-old makeup artist.<\/p>\n \u201cI would feel comfortable for my dog to be around a pig \u2014 she has been around smaller dogs on the other side of the park,\u201d Miller said, <\/p>\n \u201cI think she\u2019d be really interested in seeing it.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t