Midnight the boar led locals on a wild pig chase through Runanga. Photo/Supplied
A pig on the loose in a tiny West Coast town led an animal control officer on a merry chase.
The large black kunekune boar escaped from a Duncan St property in Runanga, north of Greymouth, during last Thursday evening and was reported wandering around the town.
Grey District Council Animal control officer Murray Malloch was alerted and arrived at 8.45pm.
Initially, he thought it might have been a feral pig and - since he could not access his firearm - he called police for back-up.
However, after arriving he was advised the pig was a tame pet called Midnight.
"You wouldn't want a pig like that wandering round, it's huge, about 90 kilos," Malloch said.
"Someone would get hurt."
With torches and six neighbours helping, he searched for the pig as it ambled in and out of properties.
"It was quite exciting and it was great that the neighbours helped me.
"If I didn't have their help I'd have been stuffed and would have told the police to shoot the bloody thing," Malloch said.
Once the pig was found, they coaxed it with bread and apples and an attempt was made to put a strop over it, but that broke.
It was finally restrained about 11pm, after a two-and-a-quarter-hour chase.
"We decided we'd just bundle the bloody thing in the truck," Malloch said.
"It was tame as, we just picked it up but it took four men to put it on the ute.
"My intention was to take it to the pound and lock it up but we took it back to the woman owner.
"We just rolled it out and eased it back on to the property."
Malloch believed the pig had been at the Duncan St property for two to three days, which was a violation of a council bylaw.
He has advised the owner she had to move the pig.
"I'm writing a report now and she'll get a bill. I told her to get rid of it.
"I'd say she's looking for a butcher either today or over the weekend."
- Greymouth Star
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