Pig owner prosecuted after refusing to have his beloved pet put down

The owner of one of world's oldest pigs has been prosecuted by the RSPCA because he couldn't bring himself to have his beloved pet put down when it fell ill.

The 20-year-old porker, called Mr Pig, was Bob Skinner's only companion and lived on his own island connected by a bridge to the 63-year-old's pond garden.

He even had his own specially-built ark to stay on.

Mr Pig was also a star attraction with visitors to Mr Skinner's £1 million bed and breakfast cottage, with numerous online reviews singling the the swine out for praise.

When Mr Pig, believed to be the world's oldest kunekune pig, developed a cancerous wound on his face, Mr Skinner treated the injury by bathing it for four weeks.

A court heard he didn't take Mr Pig to the vets because he couldn't come to terms with having the elderly hog euthanised.

The RSPCA were tipped off and officials seized Mr Pig and had him destroyed without informing Mr Skinner, a retired pet shop owner.

The first he heard about the death of his trusted pet was while he was being interviewed by RSPCA officers.

Mr Skinner was alleged to have caused unnecessary suffering to the pig and prosecuted by the animal welfare charity, which sought to have him banned from keeping animals.

This was rejected by magistrates after they heard how Mr Skinner had always taken very good care of Mr Pig.

Afterwards, Mr Skinner revealed he had spent £200 on a headstone for Mr Pig and plans to have him cremated as soon as his body is returned to him by the RSPCA.

Mr Skinner said: "He was an absolutely amazing pig. He was an ugly old sod, always smelled bad and could be mischievous, but I really, really loved him - and so did everyone who met him."

Mr Skinner, a divorcee, lives in an idyllic old mill cottage in the village of Corfe Mullen, Dorset. The 13 bed, grade II listed property backs on to the River Stour and featured in the Doomsday Book.

Mr Pig had the run of a nine acre island at the back of the cottage and could be patted and fed by guests staying at the B&B.

An internet review of the business states: "Make sure you feed the friendly if not handsome Mr Piggy."

Another reads: "Bob is a good landlord...Mr Pig is a star."

Magistrates in Bournemouth heard that the case came to light when Environment Agency staff working in the area noticed the wound on Mr Pig's face. They alerted the RSPCA who intervened.

Matthew Knight, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said a post mortem examination confirmed Mr Pig had cancer.

He said: "He (Mr Skinner) had been aware of the wound for four weeks and the only treatment had been bathing the wound.

"Its suffering could have been reasonably reduced by application of proper pain relief and proper pain treatment of the wound.

"It could have been avoided by the owner getting it to the vet and getting it euthanised."

Edward Foster, defending Mr Skinner, said his client had been intending to have his pet euthanised but struggled to come to terms with losing his 'only companion'. He was bringing himself to the point of taking him to the vets when the RSPCA became involved.

He said: "The extraordinary thing about Mr Pig was his age. He was 20 years old. The oldest recorded kunekune pig was 19.

"The only way to get a pig to that age is by taking very good care of it. The one thing any livestock owner knows is if you do not take good care of your animals they do not reach old age.

"In fact it is unusual for pigs to make more than four years old because they are killed for bacon and ham."

Mr Foster conceded his client, who owned a pet shop for 30 years, was technically in breach of animal welfare laws for not seeking veterinary advice and had therefore pleaded guilty.

Magistrates said there were no reasons to impose any ban on Mr Skinner owning animals in the future and were satisfied there had been 'no malicious intent' on his part.

He was given a 24 month conditional discharges and ordered to pay the RSPCA's prosecution costs of £1,000 and a £15 victim surcharge.