Pet Pig Owner Seeks Law Change in St. Charles

Kerrie Meyers is hopeful that St. Charles will become one of the few places in the St. Louis area to allow residents to keep pigs as pets. For now, her black and white Juliani pig named "Pepper" is in limbo.

Currently cattle, swine, sheep and goats are not permitted in any residential areas of St. Charles. The city has interpreted "swine" to include domesticated pigs typically kept as household pets.

held a public hearing on Tuesday on a proposed change to the law that would let the council decide on a case by case basis whether to allow residents to keep Juliani pigs that weigh less than 50 pounds.

Meyers spoke before the council and outlined all of the ways her pig could benefit the community. Meyers said she's working toward getting Pepper certified as a therapy animal.

No one spoke against the proposed law change at the meeting, although Council member Bridget Ohmes, Ward 10, said she had received emails from people who were opposed to pigs in the city. 

The council is expected to vote on the proposed change at the council meeting on Sept. 20.

The t to the law last month. At Tuesday's meeting, City Council President Mike Klinghammer, Ward 6, said he's not interested in changing the city's current laws regarding pigs.

"We don't make laws for one individual that are city-wide," said Klinghammer, adding that the council vetted the issue thoroughly in 2008. "We looked at this a short while ago. A lot of the same issues have been brought up tonight. The rest of the council may see things differently, but I don't see any differences."

In 2008, the city council considered changing the laws after a family was ticketed for having a pot-bellied pig in St. Charles. Neighbors complained about the animal who sometimes played outside in the backyard. In that instance, the pet in question was a a pot-bellied pig, a breed that can grow to be 175 pounds.

Councilman Tom Besselman, Ward 2, who sponsored the proposed law change this time, said there's a great deal of difference between the pot-bellied pig and the Juliani pig.

Pet Ordinances Vary by City

Meyer said she did not check city ordinances about what animals are allowed in the city prior to purchasing Pepper.

"I had no clue a pig would not be an accepted animal," she said, adding that after she learned pigs are not allowed, she reached out to her council member to see about having the laws changed.

Laws about pets vary across the St. Louis area. Few cities explicitly allow domesticated pigs. The city of St. Louis, St. Peters and unincorporated St. Charles County allow pigs of some sort. 

But for many people, a pig of any size--domesticated or not--is a farm animal. Many people believe that farm animals have no place in residential areas.

Other people see animals like pigs and chickens and bees as appropriate in a more urban setting. Municipalities throughout the St. Louis area are addressing the issue as it pops up --- often because a resident already has purchased the animal.

Several cities this year spent time debating whether to allow residents to keep chickens.

In 2010, Eureka passed a law allowing up to six chickens per household.

Therapy Pet

Meyers is working toward getting Pepper certified as a therapy pet. She said she's taken Pepper to several different places to get her accustomed to meeting with people including a local flea market and veteran's home. Meyers said Pepper will have to make 10 successful visits before Pepper starts formal training.

"I want to make it clear I'm not asking my pet to be allowed, I'm asking to allow a working animal in the city limits," she told the council Tuesday. "He brightens everyone's day, that's why he's in the therapy program. "