CALIFORNIA -- Its that time of year when local 4H'ers are preparing their livestock for competition at the upcoming annual Santa Barbara County Fair.
But one Nipomo boy will have to wait until next year after his prize pig met with a brutally unfortunate fate by two out of control dogs.
But one Nipomo boy will have to wait until next year after his prize pig met with a brutally unfortunate fate by two out of control dogs.
It may not look like it but prize winning pigs are raised behind the Barca family home on Higos Way in Nipomo.
But that streak came to a squealing halt on Monday.
"I was outside watering my lawn and I started hearing a pig squeal", says neighbor Karyn Cleary, "it was a pit bull inside one of the pens in there and it had the pig latched down."
Cleary says she did what she could to fight off the blood-thirsty dogs before they could devour the two other pigs in the pens.
But that streak came to a squealing halt on Monday.
"I was outside watering my lawn and I started hearing a pig squeal", says neighbor Karyn Cleary, "it was a pit bull inside one of the pens in there and it had the pig latched down."
Cleary says she did what she could to fight off the blood-thirsty dogs before they could devour the two other pigs in the pens.
"I had this cord right in the front yard", Cleary says, "so I ran over and made kind of a little lasso around it and threw it over the dogs head and pulled the dog out."
The two pit bulls dug holes beneath the pig pens to get to their prey.
"Never would I have believed it because we are fenced in to begin with", says pig owner Hannah Barca.
Barca says San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Deputies and County Animal Control were quickly called to the scene.
But Barca says nothing could be done to save what young Michael Barca says would have been a sure-win 250-pound sow dubbed Mrs, Oinkerson.
The two pit bulls dug holes beneath the pig pens to get to their prey.
"Never would I have believed it because we are fenced in to begin with", says pig owner Hannah Barca.
Barca says San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Deputies and County Animal Control were quickly called to the scene.
But Barca says nothing could be done to save what young Michael Barca says would have been a sure-win 250-pound sow dubbed Mrs, Oinkerson.
"The vet came and then worked on her for about an hour and a half and then she passed through stress and the injuries to her neck", Hannah Barca says.
Its unclear what will happen to one of the two wandering pit bulls that was taken in by County Animal Control.
The second pit bull has not yet been found.
"Pit Bulls are very territorial", Barca says, "that the other one that hasn't been found can come back, so somebody has to be at our house 24-7."
Animal Control officers in both Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties remind dog owners they are liable for their dogs at all times.
(KCOY - June 14, 2012)
