Runaway Piglet Chased for Blocks in California Before Being 'Apprehended’ by Police
A runaway piglet led police on a chase spanning multiple city blocks in Sebastapol, California on Thursday, June 14th. The piglet, whose name is Pickles, somehow escaped from his mom and decided to tour the town. Several police officers were in on the chase, and lucky for us, one of them recorded the police pursuit on his body cam.
The spotted piglet was enjoying his day of freedom and wasn't going to make it easy for the police to pick him up. I guess I didn't realize how fast pigs are because I would've never guessed that a pig could outrun several officers and bystanders trying to help all to avoid being apprehended!
This is the best police chase I've ever seen! Luckily, officers were finally able to grab the runaway pig and get him safely back to his mother. Officers described the piglet as "very fast and strong for an animal of its size." CBS News commenters had some funny things to say about the pursuit. I laughed at the commenter who said that Pickles was, “Just getting his 10,000 steps in.”
Related: Adorable Piglet Up For Adoption After Being Found Wandering the Streets of Philadelphia
How Fast Can Pigs Run?
Commenter @i am said, "It's not hard to catch an animal" but I'm going to disagree with them on that one. One of the ways that pigs escape from predators (like wolves, bears, foxes, and coyotes) is by using their speed. Pigs can run an average of 11 miles per hour (boars are even faster) while us humans only clock in around 6 miles an hour. You can't outrun a pig, which makes catching them difficult, too.
Pets on Mom shares this interesting fact about chasing pigs that would've been helpful for the officers in the video, "Pigs don't usually run in a straight line. They often zigzag in order to escape enemies. If you are chasing a running pig, stop and save your strength. Wait for the pig to tire out."
Zoo Nerdy explained, "Different pig breeds have varying running speeds and agility levels. The age of a pig also affects its speed. As pigs grow older, they tend to become slower and less agile. The pig’s weight is another factor that affects its running speed. The heavier the pig, the slower it tends to be. The surface on which the pig is running also plays a role in determining how fast it can go. Running on rough or slippery surfaces can slow a pig down." Which breed is the fastest? According to Zoo Nerdy it's the Berkshire pig breed, which can run at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. The Duroc and Hampshire pig breeds also top the list, while the Large Black pig breed and the Gloucestershire Old Spot pig breed are the slowest (probably because of their weight.)
Who knew that pigs were big sprinters! If you ever have to chase down a pig, the easiest way to do it is to let them run until they tire themselves out. I hope I never have to find out how hard it is to catch a pig!
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