A 15-pound Vietnamese pot-bellied pig named Sir Oinks-A-Lot has found a permanent home after charming staff and volunteers at Pasadena Humane's shelter on South Raymond Avenue.
The six-month-old pig arrived as a stray, and no one came forward to claim him during his hold period, the shelter announced Tuesday, July 15. Staff named him Sir Oinks-A-Lot for obvious reasons: when people approached his kennel, he trotted up to greet them with enthusiastic oinking. In the play yard, he showed off a pink harness and curled up in visitors' laps.
Placing him wasn't simple. Pasadena's municipal code does not allow pigs to be kept as pets, according to Pasadena Humane, so the shelter's adoptions team had to find someone outside city limits with the right setup. The pig, expected to grow to 200 pounds or more at full size, needed space, specialized veterinary care, and proper nutrition.
The team found a match. Sir Oinks-A-Lot's new family lives in an area that permits pigs, has room for him to root and play, and already has a dog companion for him.
Pasadena Humane, led by President and CEO Chris Ramon, said the adoption reflects the organization's mission to provide compassion and care for all animals, not just the cats and dogs that make up most of its intake. The shelter regularly takes in hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, ball pythons, and tortoises, but the shelter said a pot-bellied pig was a first that tested the team's creativity.
Pigs are social animals considered as intelligent as a three-year-old human, according to the shelter. They can learn tricks, and some, like Sir Oinks-A-Lot, love to cuddle. But their size, specialized needs, and local zoning restrictions make them a challenging placement.
Pasadena Humane reported helping more than 71,000 animals in 2025 through adoptions, wildlife rehabilitation, veterinary services, and other programs across 11 cities in the San Gabriel Valley.
Residents looking to adopt can visit the shelter at 361 S. Raymond Ave. daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or browse available animals at pasadenahumane.org.
Upcoming at Pasadena Humane
Pasadena Humane hosts a Free Adoption Day on Saturday, July 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adoption fees will be waived for all available dogs, cats, and critters, with support from the Pet Care Foundation and The Georgia B. Ridder Foundation. "Every adoption makes a real difference," Chris Ramon said in the event announcement. "When a pet goes home with a loving family, it not only changes that animal's life, but also creates space and resources so we can help the next pet in need."
