Bottling Company Offers Refuge For Eli The Pig

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Bottling Company Offers Refuge For Eli The Pig

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Bottling Company Offers Refuge For Eli The Pig

Star Telegram
May 19, 2001

Dr Pepper Willing To Give Pig A Home On The Range - Eli the pig could go wee, wee, wee all the way to Erath county courtesy of Dublin Dr Pepper Bottling Company.

After hearing that voters rejected a bid to let Eli live in Hurst, company officials this weekend offered the Dr Pepper aficionado a home at a ranch near the Dublin bottling plant.

"He needs to be where Dr Pepper is the best," said Jeff Pendleton, company advertising and art director.

Eli's owner, Cynthia Wynne, said she is not ready to send the 175-pound Vietnamese potbellied pig packing, although Hurst has given her a June 30 deadline to move the porker.

"We really haven't made any decisions yet on what we're going to do with Eli," she said. "The Dr Pepper people were real nice in offering."

During the May 5 election, Wynne had sought to classify Vietnamese potbellied pigs as exotic pets.

A 1990 city ordinance classifies the pigs as livestock. According to the ordinance, each livestock animal must be housed on almost an acre. Wynne's lot is less than a half-acre.

Hurst police gave Wynne the deadline last week.

If she does not comply, she could be sited and summoned to Hurst Municipal Court.

Eli's options include moving to a new house or going to a temporary home while the Wynne's sell their house or seek legal counsel.

Wynne said she and her husband expect to decide after Memorial Day.

Offers have come from other people as well.

The Dublin franchise is the only bottling company that makes Dr Pepper with pure cane sugar, not corn syrup, Pendleton said.

Company officials had followed Eli's story in the news and had believed that he would win.

When he did not, the franchise offered to house Eli on land owned by company Assistant General Manager Kent Crouch, who was unavailable to comment.

Even if Eli does not move near Dublin, the company wants to recognize the pig as a Dr Pepper VIP during its 110th anniversary celebration June 9, Pendleton said.

"We still want them to come down," he said. "We'll treat him like a king."

The Wynne's said they are considering making the trip. The long drive southwest from Fort Worth might be difficult on Eli, she said.

The pig cannot live in Dublin, which also prohibits pigs.

"The city of Dublin welcomes the pig for the Dr Pepper party," City Manager Brian Boudreaux said.

If Eli moves to the ranch, his residence would meet Wynne's specifications, Pendleton said.

"We'll fix him up," he said.

Despite the offer, Pendleton said he hopes that Wynne can keep Eli.

"We realize that this is someone's pet. We hope that things can work out," he said. "It's a sincere offer to help him out. She can come visit any time."

By Brenda Edwards
Special to the Star-Telegram