The Delaware Department of Agriculture now lists potbelly pigs as an invasive species, so any pet pigs must have an identifier.
Potbelly pig owners now must apply for an Invasive Animal Permit through the State Ag Department. The new guidelines also require owners to tag their animals with visible identification, like an ear tag, but the department’s Chief of Community Relations Stacey Hofmann says there is an alternative.
“A lot of potbelly pig owners treat their animals like dogs, they live in their house, and they don’t want an ear tag like a pig on a farm would have," Hofmann says. "So we’ve offered them the option, to not be in violation of the regulation, that they can have their animal microchipped.”
Hofmann says the new regulations are a response to nearly 300 feral pigs in the state. Potbellies passed off as micro, teacup, or mini pigs, grow to a size owners may not have expected, leading them to escape or become abandoned.
“They can become feral quickly," she says. "And then as they’re working through our state they’re able to contract contagious and infectious diseases that can be spread to both people and animals. So we want to prevent that from happening.”
The Ag Department issued guidance for potbelly pig owners in November, which is now part of the new regulations. It includes setting up secure fencing and spaying and neutering pigs to avoid unnecessary breeding.
To acquire a permit, the owner must undergo a site inspection, and if they choose to microchip their animal rather than use a tag, it must be done before the inspection.
“Everyone that has a potbelly pig will have to apply for an invasive animal permit," Hofmann says. "We want to make sure that it’s not becoming an issue that people can’t handle their animals and then let them loose.”
And an invasive species owner has 12 hours to report it if their pet goes missing.
An application for a permit can be found at de.gov/invasivespecies.
