Mini pigs are incredibly intelligent and sensitive animals.  The mini pig community hears the stories every day of the benefits these animals provide for their owners as Emotional Support Animals and companions to those with mental or physical health problems. In some cases these mini pigs are performing jobs or tasks that would be expected of a Service Animal, but the law does not yet allow this recognition for pigs. 

Help us reach out to the Department of Justice to revise the ADA Service Animal guidelines to include mini pigs.  This revision would allow mini pigs to perform duties to help those with disabilities in public as well as in private.  Recognizing mini pigs and the abilities they have beyond a dog or mini horse could change lives for those who suffer daily. Unfortunately a dog or mini horse is not the right fit for everyone needing a Service Animal. Some individuals are fearful of dogs, have allergies, or do not connect with dogs the way they connect with mini pigs. Very few people with disabilities are able to manage housing and care for a horse. A mini pig is the ideal animal to fill this gap.

The U.S. Department of Justice defines a Service Animal as “Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.”

Read how these mini pig heroes preform task to assist their owners and communities.  If you have a mini pig hero story to share with us please email info@americanminipigassociation.com or comment below.

http://americanminipigassociation.com/ampa-awards/skooter-the-mini-pig-a-true-hero-story/​

http://americanminipigassociation.com/ampa-awards/bacon-bit-the-mini-pig-hero-detects-seizures/​

http://americanminipigassociation.com/ampa-awards/therapy-pig-visits-nursing-homes-mini-pig-heroes/​

http://americanminipigassociation.com/ampa-awards/hamlet-the-mini-pig-hero-brings-joy-to-children/​

http://americanminipigassociation.com/ampa-awards/pearl-the-mini-pig-hero-teaches-children-responsibility/