LaSalle mini-pig faces eviction as neighbours rally to save him

Timmy the pig may be evicted over a bylaw, but neighbours are pushing back.

At 11 years old and weighing 130 pounds, Timmy the “mini-pig” is a beloved neighbour in LaSalle — but the borough has ordered his owner to remove him by the end of the weekend.

Sandra Propetto has trained the love of her life to shake a hoof.

“He’s my baby. I know him so well. I had him since he was tiny. He’d fit in my hand,” Propetto said as she stroked the docile pig.

“They’re bred to be domestic pigs, house pets, really. They’re just like really big dogs,” she explained.

Propetto and Timmy have more than 40,000 followers on social media and plenty of LaSalle neighbours who stop by in person.

Seana Kirkpatrick passes by often.

“Look at him. He’s innocent. He’s so sweet. He’s loving. He’s just so adorable. I just want to give him a big hug!”

Tony Sperduti lives across the street from Timmy. “He’s the attraction of the neighbourhood. And he’s very quiet. Minds his own business, doesn’t bother anybody.”

Two weeks ago, a City of Montreal inspector visited Propetto and told her Timmy had to go because he’s not registered.

In 2018, the city passed a bylaw allowing owners who already had mini-pigs to keep them under a grandfather clause, as long as the animals were registered.

Propetto didn’t know and missed the deadline.

“I was so confused because I have all his documents from the breeder. I have his birth certificate and it’s a registered breeder from Quebec.”

Now, neighbours are signing a petition in the hope that Timmy will be allowed to stay.

“This is where he belongs, with the community, with his mom. This is where he’s supposed to stay. You can’t take him away. It’s like taking away a child,” Brendan Boran said.

In an email to CTV News, the borough of LaSalle said it is upholding Montreal’s bylaw and has received some complaints about Timmy, leaving little chance for an exception to the rule.

Propetto asked LaSalle about the complaints and was told she needed to file for an Access to Information request first.

“If I had to rehome him to a farm, he wouldn’t like that. I mean, he’s used to sleeping in a bed with big covers over him. He’s used to me tucking in at night. I know that sounds crazy,” she said.

Propetto is still hoping for a reprieve for the big fella, who she says is the equivalent of a 70-year-old in human years.