Support For Eli Is Slim At Polls

A pot belly pig information site. Pig pets, funny picture of pig, pot belly pig care, pig pet, miniature pot bellied pig, potbelly pig pregnancy info, care of potbellied pig, flying pig picture, and more.

PIGS4EVER PIGS IN THE NEWS

THIS ARTICLE:
Support For Eli Is Slim At Polls

PIGS4EVER.COM

PO Box 60635 / Reno, NV 89506

Advanced Search / Search Tips

Support For Eli Is Slim At Polls

Star Telegram
May 6, 2001

Hurst voters say pigs are not pets

Hurst - Maybe pigs and politics don't mix.

Eli the Vietnamese potbellied pig overwhelmingly lost the right to be called a pet and a Hurst resident during Saturday's election.

Proposition 1 asked voters to designate potbellied pig as exotic pets rather than livestock. Eli needed a "yes" vote to stay because a 1990 city ordinance requires livestock to live on lots of at least an acre.

But 66 percent of 1,821 voters said a pig is a barnyard animal.

After months of begging, campaigning and drumming up support for the 6-year-old swine, owner Cynthia Wynne appeared to be drained after hearing the preliminary results.

"I guess that's what happens," said Wynne, who got Eli when he was small enough to fit in her palm.

Her tears said more, even when she could not.

Hurst will begin the process of enforcing the animal control ordinance, which mandates that Eli leave, city officials said. Residents are warned and then fined for code violations.

"They can start fining me Monday," Wynne said. "My first agenda is to make sure the city cannot come in here and take him."

After gaining almost cult-figure status in the area, Eli garnered only 34 percent of the vote. Air time on radio stations and CNN and a party by Dr Pepper did not help the 175-pound pig. Dr Pepper is Eli's favorite beverage.

Opponents said they had nothing personal against the black and white pig. They just did not believe that Eli belonged in a suburb.

"I think that kind of animal belongs on a farm," resident James Crawford said. "It is not an in-town kind of pet."

In November, Eli was an unknown pig days from his 6th birthday (which he celebrated with vanilla cupcakes because he is allergic to chocolate). Then Wynne asked the City Council to make an Eli exception to the ordinance. The pig was brought to the city's attention when neighbor Roberta Womack mentioned the porker to the city Animal Control Department.

Womack started the political action committee Hurst is for People, not Hogs!! and has said that she is not against Eli, but is against loosening the lot-size requirements. Womack was unavailable to comment Saturday night.

More than 600 signatures were collected on petitions to put the pig issue on the ballot after the council denied the exemption. People started writing letters and calling. A sign reading "Save Eli" was hung in a bar.

Councilman Henry Wilson said he is pleased that residents got to vote on the issue.

"The process worked," he said. "The people needed to vote, and the people had the opportunity to vote. I hope both sides can accept the decision graciously."

Wynne said she is not giving up hope and is looking into legal options. When those are exhausted, she will move before giving up her family pet, she said.

By Ellena Fortner
efortner@star-telegram.com