Mike Downey just wants to bring his “kids” back home.
But Athena and Vishnu aren’t regular children – they’re massive pot-bellied pigs who have lived most of their lives in a residential Victoria neighbourhood.
A city bylaw banning urban livestock forced Downey to move the pigs five months ago to a farm on Brentwood Bay, where he makes weekly visits.
“This has been one of the hardest, most difficult times,” said Downey. “It’s been one of the hardest winters of my life.”
He’s now pleading with city council to overturn the bylaw and bring back his portly pigs – who are more accustomed to the high-life at Downey’s Victoria West home than the horse stable they’re currently living in.
The city slickers have had a tough go at country life, getting bullied by chickens for their food and putting on weight – a lot of weight – because Downey can’t watch what they eat, he said.
“They’ve lived inside my home for years, three-and-a-half years they’ve been inside,” he said. “They don’t bark and they don’t bite, they’re non-aggressive, and they’re not hopping over fences and attacking other animals.”
City council said smell complaints have been made about the pigs, but Downey maintains the porkers’ behaviour is “on a level above most other pets’ complaints.”
He has launched a Facebook page and made a video presentation to city council in November which he said evoked applause – but no real change.
“There’s a bylaw prohibiting pigs in the city because it’s a city,” said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps.
She said councillors haven’t put forth a recommendation that the bylaw needs to be changed, something that needs to be done if Downey is to move his pets back in.
But the vegetarian pig owner won’t be deterred.
“I know that I’m making progress and I know that people are hearing me, and I know that I have the majority of the people on my side,” he said. “All I need is just a positive thumbs up and guidance from the city.”
In the meantime, Athena and Vishnu are trying to adjust to their first winter out in their horse stable – with Downey giving them sleeping bags, stuffed animals and a heating lamp to make them feel a little more at home.
