[link|http://starbulletin.com/2001/07/24/news/story5.html|Report of feral pig attack]

At 6:35 a.m. yesterday, Patsy Caulfield walked with her dog, Runner, along a beach north of Punaluu Beach Park. Suddenly, a wild, black pig charged them.

The pig stuck its two tusks into the left side of her body when she shielded Runner.

"I was terrified. It was unprovoked and unexpected," Caulfield said. "My first instinct was the pig was not going to get my dog."

A friend drove her to Kahuku Hospital, where she received 30 staples and about 20 internal stitches to close the wound in her left thigh and lower abdomen, and medical staff reported the attack to the Kahuku Police Station.

[...]

[link|http://starbulletin.com/2001/08/07/editorial/letters.html|A letter to the editor]

Feral pig attack sounds fishy

Pardon me for thinking that your July 24 news story about a pig attacking a woman and her dog on the beach at Punaluu is more story than news. I have been hiking extensively in these islands for more than 30 years and have had a fair number of meetings with our feral pig population.

Although they can be vicious when cornered, I have never encountered a pig that would not run from a human or a dog, if given any opportunity to do so. Yet here we have one who comes down from the hills, boldly strolls through the town of Punaluu, crosses a busy highway to the beach, and then attacks both a lady and her dog. What did the pua'a do next, go for a swim? Then, shaking itself dry, it must have gone back across the highway again, trotted undisturbed through Punaluu (were all the dogs asleep?), and returned home with a great story to tell.

[link|http://starbulletin.com/2001/08/07/editorial/letters.html|A rebuttal]

Feral pig attack was not imagined

I was outraged to read Richard McMahon's Aug. 7 letter ("Feral pig attack sounds fishy") doubting my experience with the feral pig. It was terrifying and truly real.

I do not believe the pig boldly strolled through Punaluu Town; he probably followed the Punaluu Stream at Green Valley Road and crossed to the beach under the highway bridge. My dog and I were equally startled. Why we were chased and attacked is anyone's guess. However, there was a witness further up the beach who saw the commotion.

Meanwhile, I have been recuperating in pain for almost three weeks, with sutures and staples now removed.

My question is why anyone would think I made this up. There is no gain.

The only reason this made the news is because Kahuku Hospital was required to call the Honolulu Police Department, and it was determined that people in my area should be aware of this incident.

When we were in Hawaii a few years ago, we were warned about being on the lookout for the pigs and got quite nervous when we saw fresh tracks on some of the trails we were hiking...

Comparing house dogs to packs of strays is probably as fair as comparing Vietnamese pot bellied pigs to feral pigs. ;-)

Cheers,
Scott.

it's not clear exactly what's going on.

Since the US has banned the trade of cat and dog skins, the European market has expanded.

I wonder when that ban was put in place, but the story doesn't say.

A video seen by BBC correspondent Tim Franks shows one Belgian furrier displaying a blanket he says was made from cats farmed in Belgium.

What is more, he says that stray cats and dogs are rounded up and skinned.

If it's illegal (and in the US at least there are anti-cruelty laws that would probably apply in such situations), then that should be investigated and appropriate action taken.

They said it was up to national governments to ban the trade in cat and dog fur.

Alsatian coat

So far, though, only Italy has brought in such a ban.

[..]

Campaigners accuses the European Commission of lacking the political will to address the issue, arguing that the trade is not only morally repugnant, but also a case of consumer fraud.

The sidebar:

Campaigners claim 2 million cats and dogs slaughtered every year

Main exporter: China

12 to 15 adult dogs needed to make a dog fur coat

Up to 24 cats needed for cat fur coat

Cat and dog fur also used in hats, gloves, shoes, blankets, stuffed animals and toys

Dog fur sometimes labelled as: Gae-wolf, sobaki, Asian jackal, goupee, loup d'Asie, Corsac fox, dogues du Chine, or simply fake or exotic fur

Cat fur sometimes labelled as: house cat, wild cat, katzenfelle, rabbit, goyangi, mountain cat

If it's fraud, then it should be prosecuted.

Andrew writes:
I just don't see that farming cats and dogs is significantly different from farming pigs.

I think there are several issues:
1) cultural
2) animual cruelty concerns
3) fraud

PETA would probably be most concerned about #2, while consumer advocates would be most concerned about #3, while Jane Q. Public would be concerned by #1. Objectively, if animals are specifically raised for commercial purposes there's little difference between farming dogs and farming pigs. If animals are being rounded up off the street and skinned illegally, then I think that's different.

My $0.02.

Cheers,
Scott.