500-Pound Pig Rumored to Eat Humans Evicted

» Get Patch’s daily newsletter and real-time news alerts.

Don’t ever underestimate the intelligence of a pig.

“The pig is winning,” Detroit Police Sgt. Vanessa Wyatt told the Detroit Free Press Friday evening as police and animal control officers were having a whale of a hard time evicting a 500-pound pig from the basement of a house in the 10400 block of Orangelawn.

“He’s still down there,” Wyatt said. “He’s smarter than us.”

A cadaver dog ruled out a possible gruesome twist in the darkly humorous story. Rumors swirled that the hog had been fed human remains by the fellow who had stashed him in the basement in the first place, adding a macabre edge to the drama unfolding in the neighborhood and on Twitter.

Finally, police called in a farmer from Canton to help coax the animal up a makeshift ramp in the basement room, which had no ladder, stairs or other way out for the pig.

The puns flew on social media and news coverage.

Arriving at the scene, one officer cracked, “Let’s get this barbecue going,” Daniel Bethencourt, a reporter for for the Detroit Free Press tweeted.

“No pun intended but it looks like a pigsty,” Assistant Police Chief Steve Dolunt told WXYZ-TV. “There’s two feet of feces down there.”

Police had to bring in heavy equipment to clear a path so animal control officers could get a look at what they were dealing with.

More Michigan Pig News:

• Pig Goes Hog Wild, Ends Up in Pokey
• Why Mayoral Run by Michigan Pig Isn’t Just for Giggles

The pig reportedly belonged to Gary Roquemore, who owned the home and several other properties on the same street. He was found dead from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease last week in a house at 10430 Orangelawn, Ryan Bridges, a spokesman for the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office, said.

No one seems to know why Roquemore – who owns a rural southeast Michigan farm where he reportedly had a menagerie of animals and grew fruits and vegetables – kept the hog in the basement. Neighbors told reporters Roquemore was a good person, though introverted and a hoarder.

“It’s strange,” Diane Blue, who often saw Roquemore around the neighborhood, told the Free Press. “I wouldn’t expect [him] to have a pig in the basement. I can understand hoarding, because it happens. But a pig in your basement – that’s strange.”

It looks like a happy ending for the pig, which was pulled from the basement after about three hours. If veterinarians confirm the hog is healthy, he will live at a farm outside of Detroit.

_____

Screenshot via WDIV-TV