Great pig caper on KP

Colleen Slater, KP News

Jerry Davis, owner of Drive Thru Feed, would love to have Patsy Swine home again. The pink pig disappeared from the red ladder on his property sometimes during the night of June 23 or the early morning of June 24. Photo courtesy of Jerry Davis

Patsy Swine, the pink porker that perched on her red ladder at Jerry Davis’ Drive Thru Feed in Vaughn disappeared during the dark of night sometime between June 23 p.m. or June 24 a.m.

The well-formed pig, created by woodcarver Mike Walsh, was the star attraction of the property at the corner of Wright Bliss and SR 302 for nearly five years. Davis held a contest to name her several years ago.

He said he heard nothing besides ordinary traffic noises during the night.

“They didn’t drive in,” he says, but apparently parked just beyond the fence on Wright Bliss Road.

Employee Karen Lovatt arrived for work and noticed Patsy’s spotlight was facing away. On investigation, they discovered Patsy missing, and a broken fence rail.

“They must have stood on the rail to lift her over the fence,” says Davis. The thieves needed a ladder and some way of cutting or breaking the bolts that held her fast, he said.

It took three strong men and a pulley to put her in place, he said.

Walsh estimated she weighed about 250 pounds when she was still green. He’d brought family members to see Patsy on Tuesday, and couldn’t believe she had disappeared when he drove by the next day.

Davis says surveillance videos are being analyzed, and a sheriff’s deputy took information for his report.

Davis sends out a plea for Patsy’s life. She was a contented pig and would not have left the premises on her own, he noted.

“We just want our girl home,” he said. “Tell her we love her. If she ran off with a handsome pig boyfriend, tell her all is forgiven if she comes home.”

He says her favorite treat is Barnyard Buffet and Hog Rations, mixed half and half.

"And she likes a pat on the behind every night," he adds.

“We miss her,” Davis said. “We’ll pay a ransom for her safe return.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Department at 798-472