"I trained my pampered pet pig to 'speak' and even let him sleep in my bed"
- last year
A woman has trained her pampered pet pig to 'speak' - and even lets him sleep in her bed.
Mina Alali, 25, bought mini-pig Merlin in March 2022 when he was just two-and-a-half months old.
Since then she has trained him to ‘speak’ to her by pressing electronic buttons which say 'outside', 'eat' and 'ice'.
The clever hog can also high-five and dance and perform other tricks such as sitting and staying like a dog.
Mina takes Merlin for walks on a lead, and even takes him to dinner with her friends.
He feeds mainly on Mazuri pig food, leafy greens such as rocket and spinach, and loves ice cubes.
Mina says owning a pig does create difficulties with her lifestyle.
“It’s definitely an obstacle sometimes. I love him so much, I’m OK with taking him everywhere and anywhere," she said.
“But he doesn’t walk like a dog on a leash, which can be slow and annoying.
“If we want to go to dinner with friends the attention can be annoying. I get stopped all the time, although I also love meeting people and chatting about him.
“I’m constantly thinking about Merlin.
"I always make sure to tell people, you have to ensure you have a lifestyle compatible with owning a pig, because otherwise it’s not fair to the pig.
“You have to dedicate as much time and love and affection to them as you would a toddler.”
Merlin is a Mini Vietnamese potbelly who weighs between 30 and 35lbs and may grow as big as 80lbs in the future and 3ft long.
Although Mina likes sharing videos of Merlin on her TikTok account, she says his welfare is the most important consideration.
“We were invited to be on America’s Got Talent, but I declined because my number one priority is for Merlin to be happy and stress free," she said.
“Making videos in the comfort of my own home is OK because I’m not looking to exploit or put him in a stressful situation.
“I’ve always wanted a pig my whole life, for as long as I can remember and having him is a dream come true.”
Mina Alali, 25, bought mini-pig Merlin in March 2022 when he was just two-and-a-half months old.
Since then she has trained him to ‘speak’ to her by pressing electronic buttons which say 'outside', 'eat' and 'ice'.
The clever hog can also high-five and dance and perform other tricks such as sitting and staying like a dog.
Mina takes Merlin for walks on a lead, and even takes him to dinner with her friends.
He feeds mainly on Mazuri pig food, leafy greens such as rocket and spinach, and loves ice cubes.
Mina says owning a pig does create difficulties with her lifestyle.
“It’s definitely an obstacle sometimes. I love him so much, I’m OK with taking him everywhere and anywhere," she said.
“But he doesn’t walk like a dog on a leash, which can be slow and annoying.
“If we want to go to dinner with friends the attention can be annoying. I get stopped all the time, although I also love meeting people and chatting about him.
“I’m constantly thinking about Merlin.
"I always make sure to tell people, you have to ensure you have a lifestyle compatible with owning a pig, because otherwise it’s not fair to the pig.
“You have to dedicate as much time and love and affection to them as you would a toddler.”
Merlin is a Mini Vietnamese potbelly who weighs between 30 and 35lbs and may grow as big as 80lbs in the future and 3ft long.
Although Mina likes sharing videos of Merlin on her TikTok account, she says his welfare is the most important consideration.
“We were invited to be on America’s Got Talent, but I declined because my number one priority is for Merlin to be happy and stress free," she said.
“Making videos in the comfort of my own home is OK because I’m not looking to exploit or put him in a stressful situation.
“I’ve always wanted a pig my whole life, for as long as I can remember and having him is a dream come true.”