Paulsboro Pet Pig Owner Must Clean Up Her Act

Judge rules that woman must get rid of her potbellied pets

A woman’s passion for potbellied pigs has gotten her in trouble with the law.

Two years ago Florence Gruber took in two potbellied pigs as pets inside her home. As of Tuesday the Florence, N.J. woman had nearly three dozen pigs running around her Lincoln Avenue property living inside and out of an RV parked in her yard.

As the piglets including, one named Spunky Runner multiplied, so too did Gruber’s neighbors’ complaints about the smell, flies and

“Nobody here is holding their nose or anything the neighbor two doors down will stand on
his back deck and scream "i smell, bleepity, pig bleep"

NBC10 first reported on the pet pigs back in March. We returned after a municipal court judge ruled Monday that Gruber has 30 days to rid her property of the piglets or begin to face fines.

“A pig is a pig, a pig is a pig and the law in 1937 said no pigs… we're like but these pigs didn't exist in 1937 and he said a pig is a pig,” Gruber describes what she was told in court.
 
Neighbors say the pig smell has forced them to not plan anything outside -- no picnics, no barbecues.

“You can't plan anything, the odor is just atrocious,” said neighbor Kathy Hunckler.

Gruber does have some friendly support.

“I love the pigs, I want a pig of my own,” said neighbor Britney. “I'm never here enough to take care of it, you never hear them you never smell them, occasionally you see them.

Gruber admits that having around 30 pigs is probably not a great idea.

“Maybe five or six pigs but not thirty,” Gruber said.

Gruber says recent the pigs have caused her to get visits from law enforcement, animal and health agencies.

The SPCA has been here, the state agriculture department has been here, the county
animal control has been here.”


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