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Proposed City Council Amendment Will Leave Kansas City Pig Lovers Squealing

christina rutz
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A Kansas City Council Committee has determined that it should no longer be illegal to keep Vietnamese potbellied pigs as pets.

An amendment to a 1995 ordinance going before the full city council would allow for up to four potbellied pigs to be kept in residentially zoned areas as long as they are neutered and remain under 95 pounds.

Residents who want to keep potbellied pigs will have to keep them leashed or fenced when outside. 

The city changed the classification of the pigs from pets to livestock in 1995, but hasn’t revisited the issue since. Councilman John Sharp says it's an example of why the city needs to revisit its ordnances more regularly.

“I wish we had something like the state [of Missouri] does where every 10 years they try to go through and call out everything that was outdated," said Sharp.

Violations of the ordinance could result in a fine of $75-$1,000.

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