According to the City of Wooster zoning ordinances, mini pigs fall under the legal characterization of "livestock." Under this categorization, mini pigs are not permitted to be kept as pets within the city limits. This petition aims for a reclassification of mini pigs as household pets, much more akin to dogs than their agricultural counterparts.

According to the US code of federal regulations, livestock are farm-raised animals. Ordinances which are written to prohibit these animals within the city limits are designed to prevent them from being a nuisance to the residents within, as they can be unsightly, odorous, noisy,  etc. These rules were not written with miniature pigs in mind, as they were largely implemented prior to their introduction to the US as a household pet. These regulations need to be adjusted to account for the natural distinction between a mini pig and a farm hog. 

American mini pigs grow to be about 15-20 inches tall and 75-150lbs in weight, on average. Given appropriate diet, training, maintenance schedules, and veterinary care, they are kept as household pets in much the same way as a dog. They are intelligent and sensitive, and they can experience great emotional distress when separated from their families. Separation of these animals from their loving homes due to zoning is an unnecessary and devastating consequence of regulations being applied to situations for which they were not intended. In changing times, we must change our understanding of what it means to be a companion animal.