Their pet ought to die with pignity.
A Staten Island household is combating to maintain its dying pet pig at dwelling in its ultimate days however the metropolis needs the animal out – even when it means taking it by drive.
The Gannone household stated 15-year-old pygmy pig “Lucy” has lived of their dwelling in Tottenville for years till a neighbor lately referred to as 311 to report the portly pet to the Division of Well being. The household is now going through hundreds of {dollars} in fines for having an unique pet as Lucy receives therapy at a neighborhood veterinary clinic.
“They’re not permitting her to remain right here. After her therapy she has to get out of right here,” Lori Ann Gannone informed The Put up.
Lucy seemingly solely has days earlier than it heads to the pig sty within the sky.
“I simply need her to stick with us as a household so long as she will be able to right here. It’s not prefer it’s going to be for lengthy,” Gannone stated somberly.
A DOH official informed the household that they need to take away Lucy, and till they do, fines might vary from the vary of $300 as much as $10,000, Gannone stated. And in the event that they don’t take away it themselves, the town might take away it by drive.
However the household’s hams could also be tied with choices for the aged pig which is generally bedridden in its “pinky twilight” years — having bother strolling with its pores and skin lined in probably cancerous sores.
“I don’t perceive. How is that this an issue? My pig is sick. I’m renovating my dwelling upstate. So, she must be right here as a result of she’s just about, you already know, on her manner out,” Gannone informed The Put up.
The Gannones — Lori Ann, her husband and two grownup kids — stated that Lucy has been like one in every of their canine or cats and solely travels when the household visits a second dwelling in Davenport.
“There’s no manner of defending her from the bears and coyotes proper now,” Lor Ann Gannone stated, including that Lucy can be “sure to die” if introduced upstate now. “If she was youthful, sure, however now, no.”
“With the home up there, look what simply occurred with that squirrel and the raccoon,” Gannone stated, referring to unique pets P’Nut the squirrel and Fred the raccoon who have been infamously taken and euthanized by brokers from the New York State’s Division of Environmental Conservation final yr.
“So if any individual sees her there within the situation that my exterior is, they might name up there as effectively,” she stated.
An nameless tipster additionally referred to as on June 6 to report that the household was abusing their canine, a very unfounded declare that introduced NYPD officers to their dwelling.
On June 14, the DOH obtained an nameless tip and opened the case Lucy and the Gannones — the second nameless criticism the household obtained this month.
Lucy is a registered companion animal and has an ESA quantity that means it could legally fly on a airplane — {qualifications} Gannone was dismayed to listen to didn’t exempt the pet from metropolis Legal guidelines.
New York state legislation permits the possession of pygmy pigs beneath sure situations, together with solely permitting one pig per dwelling, however the pets will not be authorized within the 5 boroughs.
Lucy, although, is a beloved and well-known member of her Staten Island neighborhood and the Gannones have delighted native kids for years by dressing their cat, canine, and Lucy in matching Halloween costumes.
“Final yr was ‘witches.’ The yr earlier than that we did ‘fairies.’ The yr earlier than that they have been ‘butterflies.’ The yr earlier than that they have been ‘luau women,’” Gannone reminisced.
The household didn’t speculate on who made the nameless 311 criticism however stated they might not imagine that one in every of their neighbors might have made that decision.
“My neighbors right here love her. Their grandchildren come and take footage. ‘Lori is the pig right here?’ ‘The place’s the pig?’” she stated, including, “They’re keen to protest for her. They’re able to rally.”
The Gannones now await a court docket listening to that may set up the severity of the fines and whether or not they are going to be capable of maintain Lucy of their dwelling in her “pinky twilight.”
Metropolis officers didn’t reply to The Put up’s request for remark.
A Change.org petition established on behalf of the Gannones and Lucy has garnered over 5,000 signatures and a GoFundMe that has raised over $3,000 at time of publication.
