When is a pig a pet, and when is it a farm animal?
That's the question East Aurora officials are pondering as they consider whether to allow a village resident to keep a Juliani pig in her home.
The request from Amy Sullivan of South Street churned up a debate at Village Hall Monday night - most of it laced with humor - though it left some trustees wondering if the village should better define what household pet means in the village code and offer a detailed list of what is covered beyond the traditional house pet.
Mayor Allan Kasprzak, who had printed out a lengthy Internet item detailing the breed, insisted the Juliani pig is a member of the California Pot-bellied Pig Association.
"So they are pets?" Trustee Libby Weberg asked.
"They are house pets, yes," the mayor replied.
Sullivan filed an application last week for a village permit to have a Juliani pig as a house pet and stated in her application that it is not a pot-bellied pig. Instead, she described it as a "micro/mini-breed" not to exceed 50 pounds. She wrote in her application that it would be kept indoors, other than going outside for a walk, like a dog.
The Juliani pig, if approved by the Village Board, also would be litter-trained and grow to the size of a cocker spaniel, Sullivan said.
The village charges a $100 fee, which covers the cost of applying, the permit itself and mailing costs for notices to neighbors living within 100 feet of Sullivan and to tell them about the upcoming pub
lic hearing on the matter that the board set for 7 p.m. July 16 in Village Hall.
"A 500-pound farm hog is obviously considered livestock, but a pig on a leash, maybe wearing clothes?" Trustee Peter Mercurio said. "Why are we charging this family $100 to apply for this special permit?"
But other village officials and Village Clark Joyce Jezewski noted that the Juliani pig falls within the swine category of the village code and technically requires a permit, much like the ones families recently had to obtain in order to raise chickens at their homes.
Code Enforcement Officer Bill Kramer said the swine category is in the village code and therefore, a teacup-sized pig would be considered part of the swine family.
"Until you change the code, it stands," Jezewski said, noting that the village should stay consistent because if it didn't make the Sullivans pay the $100 in required fees, then it could cause problems for other prospective applicants.
The board decided to have its code enforcement officer review any possible modifications to the code.
