Loose pig captured in New York City park, second pig still on the loose

Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Animal rescuers in New York said an apparently abandoned piglet was rescued near a city park, but a second young pig is believed to be wandering the same park.

Rescue group Long Island Orchestrating for Nature said police were called to the Baisley Pond Park area in Queens on a report of a pig running loose, and they arrived to find the caller had managed to keep the piglet nearby by feeding it potato chips.

Police cornered the pig under a car and were able to get the animal into a crate and turn it over to the rescue.

"Unfortunately, a few hours later after we got this piglet from the NYPD they called us back and told us someone reported another piglet running loose," anthrozoologist John Di Leonardo, president of Long Island Orchestrating for Nature, told the New York Daily News.

Di Leonardo said both pigs were likely abandoned by the same person.

"We are currently working under the assumption that someone abandoned them in the park there. The first one was found a few blocks from the park. This other one has been spotted inside the park hours later," he said.

Police and animal rescuers were unable to capture the second pig, but despite being spotted by a volunteer, the animal was not captured. Di Leonardo said the group is still attempting to safely locate and capture the second pig.

The first pig, now named Babe, was identified as a 20-pound Juliana pot belly pig. The pig is expected to grow up to be up to 60 pounds.