Yesterday morning, Knoxville Police Department officers found themselves participating in an impromptu chase not typical of their daily beat: apprehending an errant pig trotting its way around a Wendy's on North Broadway. WVLT reported that officers, alongside Animal Services officers from Young Williams Animal Center, managed to wrangle the pig, which had evidently made a break for it from its confines.
The swine's escapade caused quite the stir near the 3000 block of Broadway East at around 8 a.m., as per a Facebook post identified by WBIR. Running loose around Wendy's, the pig roused the interest and concern of locals before the police and animal services succeeded in their improvised pig wrangling task.
After the capture, the wayward pig was taken into the care of Young Williams Animal Center. Later, clarity arrived regarding the pig's status: "They (pigs) are also not unusual for Young Williams Animal Center to take in," the center clarified, sharing that they had serviced a number of pigs in the recent past. This pig, however, was not destined to remain at the center for long; it was reclaimed by its rightful owner, according to WBIR.
A brief glimpse into the incident was also provided by the Knoxville Police TN's social media post, who stated, "Earlier this morning, KPD officers helped successfully wrangle an apparently escaped pig that was running loose around the Wendy's on N. Broadway." Escaped from a nearby location, according to the official account published via Knoxville Police TN on X, the pig's bid for freedom was short-lived.
Earlier this morning, KPD officers helped successfully wrangle an apparently escaped pig that was running loose around the Wendy’s on N. Broadway. Animal Services Officers with @YWACpets took control of the pig after it was captured. pic.twitter.com/gCegH2CY7I
— Knoxville Police TN (@Knoxville_PD) December 28, 2024
Young Williams reassured the community that while such incidents are rare, city residents are indeed allowed to own pigs with the proper permits, a condition met by the pig’s owner. The center acknowledged receiving 11 pigs since April 1st gleaned from the public by Animal Services, and a total of 13 that had come through the shelter, found in the statement obtained by WBIR.
