Last week Wednesday, March 1, was National Pig Day.
So, I wondered, just what are we appreciating? Is it our cute heroes Babe, Wilbur, Piglet or even Miss Piggy? Is it what they have to offer – bacon, spare ribs and ham? Or is it pot bellied pig pets?
Turns out, not exactly any of these choices.
From Wikipedia:
National Pig Day is an event held annually on March 1 in the United States to celebrate the pig. The holiday celebration was started in 1972 by sisters Ellen Stanley, a teacher in Lubbock, Texas, and Mary Lynne Rave of Beaufort, North Carolina. According to Rave the purpose of National Pig Day is “to accord the pig its rightful, though generally unrecognized, place as one of man’s most intellectual and domesticated animals.”
National Pig Day includes events at zoos, schools, nursing homes, and sporting events around the United States. It is also recognized at “pig parties” where pink pig punch and pork delicacies are served, and pink ribbon pigtails are tied around trees in the pigs’ honor. The question of whether the holiday is a time to honor pigs by “giving them a break” or to appreciate their offerings (spare ribs, bacon and ham) is an open question.
A lot of my ancestors were farmers, and they kept livestock, so I get the domesticated part. My great-uncle Lucius had pigs on his farm. When we visited, I always stayed away from the pigs. They were dirty and smelly, but mostly they were mean and scary.
Are they smart? I don’t know. Babe and Wilbur seem pretty smart and Piglet is a wise little guy. But regular pigs, I don’t have clue. Do guinea pigs count? My niece has guinea pigs and they are loving and smart. They are also soft and furry like cats and like to cuddle. I could be wrong, but I don’t think pigs cuddle.
I know some people keep pigs as pets and they love them as much as I love dogs and cats, but I don’t get it. I don’t understand spiders and snakes as pets either. We did have a worm farm for a science project once, but they weren’t pets and when the experiment was finished, my son used the worms for fishing bait.
Even though I would never pick a spider, snake or even a bird as a pet, when it comes right down to it, we all just need something to love. Loving and caring for something is what makes us human. Studies show owning a pet is good for our health and improves our quality of life.
So, if a pig makes you happy, go for it. As for me, I’ll stick to cats and dogs and on National Pig Day, I’ll celebrate by pigging out, maybe with bacon and spare ribs.
tales from my typewriter 