Far North Dallas, TX, USA -- Oscar, a 130-pound
Vietnamese potbellied pig owned by Stacy Kimbell, who
turned 20 years old in October 2009 - sets the new world record
for the Oldest
Pig.
(enlarge
photo)
His long life – in pig years – has included
a Colorado ski vacation, a TV appearance with a pet psychologist,
and his photo on one of those wacky Avanti animal birthday
cards.
"The average pig lives 15 to 20 years, so we call
Oscar in bonus rounds," said his owner, Stacy Kimbell
of Far North Dallas, who believes having the 130-pound porker
in her house feeds her rebellious side.
Miniature pets were all the rage in 1989,
when Kimbell bought Oscar
as a piglet. Dogs and cats were out of the question because
of her ex-husband's allergies, and the couple's fish were,
well, fish.
He topped out at an unhealthy 180 pounds
before Kimbell got a better handle on his diet. These days
his meals consist of roasted pumpkin mash, grapes, almonds,
apples, watermelon and canned fruit. Dog treats are pretty
tasty too, but his favorite snack is Southwest Airlines peanuts.
"He's like a little disposal," said Kimbell,
47, who admits he's spoiled.
Oscar, the world's
Oldest Pig, won't eat broccoli, cauliflower or onions.
He licks the salad dressing of those veggies and spits them
out.
The Oldest
Pig in the world is very protective of Kimbell and has
chased away more than his share of males, from friends to
the pizza delivery guy. "They're very loyal creatures," she
said.
These days, Oscar
leads a laid-back life. He has a house in Kimbell's backyard
complete with a miniature swimming pool and an umbrella to
protect him from the sun. At night, he comes inside and falls
asleep in front of the television.
The world's
Oldest Pig gets a weekly bath with Suave shampoo and
a rubdown with Skin So Soft lotion and udder cream. Occasionally
Kimbell braids his tail. Once a year, she helps Oscar into
the front seat of her Mercedes for a trip to the vet to get
his toenails and tusks trimmed.
Kimbell said Oscar
is exceptionally smart. She's learned to decipher his low-pitched
grunts, from "I'm looking for you" to "I'm grumpy." They've
been through a lot over the years. "He's been my buddy," she
said.
Kimbell doesn't have any big plans for her
record-holder. She turned down an invitation to Rome for a
Guinness World Records TV show because Oscar's too old to
travel.
