The fate of a Gorham family’s pet miniature pig has been farmed out once again, this time to the Planning Board’s ordinance subcommittee.

At issue is whether the town will amend its land use code so a mini-pig named Wilbur can stay put at his home in Little Falls.

The Town Council, after hearing from its ordinance committee in November, forwarded a proposed code change to the Planning Board that would allow farm animals of less than 50 pounds to live on small lots. The Planning Board voted 4-0 Monday to hand off the matter to its own ordinance subcommittee for review.

“Let them kick it around,” Planning Board Chairman Edward Zelmanow said. Members Mike Richman and Brian Plowman were absent from the vote.

The matter surfaced in the fall when a neighbor reported Wilbur, who lives at a Pleasant Street home in Little Falls. Wilbur was found to be in violation of a town ordinance about farm animals on small residential lots and faced being booted from the property.

Cassidy St. Jernquist in October sought the Town Council’s help to keep her family’s pet, which she said at the time weighed about 25 pounds and was about 1 year old. The family acquired Wilbur when he was 6 weeks old. Wilbur is a pet, not a farm animal, she said.

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The Town Council proposed amending an existing ordinance regulating farm animals. Wording of a potential change could read: “One animal, under 50 pounds at maturity, may be kept on a lot area of under 40,000 square feet.”

In the event of a complaint, planning staff notes indicate that Code Enforcement Officer Freeman Abbott would be responsible for determining the weight of the animal. Asked Tuesday how a pig’s weight would be verified, Abbott said, “that’s a good question.”

Possibly, a pet owner, following a complaint, could take the animal to a veterinarian where it could be weighed, he said, wondering if the town’s animal control officer might have ideas.

“They don’t carry around scales, either,” Abbott said.

Robert Lowell can be contacted at 780-9089 or at:

rlowell@keepmecurrent.com


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