Sunshine, as its rescuers named it, is now living comfortably at the Monroe County Sheriff's Office Animal Farm, said SPCA employee Chuck Best.
"He's fully recovered and doing well," Best said Thursday. "We knew it couldn't be released to the wild. All his injuries are healed and he's eating well."
Sunshine was seized from the Key West residence of Robert Anthony Adisano, 25, on March 12, the day after he was charged with killing another pig by dragging it down Duval Street, reports say.
Adisano on Monday was ordered to pay $500 in fines stemming from Monroe County animal abuse ordinances that Best filed when he rescued Sunshine, he said. Adisano still faces a felony third-degree animal cruelty charge from the Duval Street incident and his trial date tentatively is set for Sept. 14, Assistant State Attorney Mark Wilson said.
In that incident, a police officer reportedly saw Adisano dragging a pig on a leash in the 300 block of Duval Street; Harriet was on her back, being raked down the street over broken glass, reports say. Her nose and mouth were bleeding when she died of internal injuries a short time later while in the care of the SPCA, Best said.
Adisano told police he had come from a bar, where he was using Harriet to meet women, reports say.
The day after Harriet died, Best removed Sunshine from Adisano's residence and began nursing the pig back to health. Sunshine was being kept in a small cage in "deplorable" conditions and was suffering from lacerations and open wounds when rescued, Best said.
"Sunshine is very social," Best said. "He loves back rubs, loves taking baths and loves playing in the pool."
(Keys News - July 31, 2009)
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