26 stone 'fattest pig ever' rescued after being fed biscuits and cola in one-bed Manchester flat
A huge pot-bellied pig was rescued after having been fed a diet of biscuits and cola while living in a small one-bedroom Manchester flat.
Portia the pig lived on a diet of junk food and fizzy drinks while being kept in the flat as a pet for seven years and weighed so much she couldn't walk, weighing a whopping 26 stone (165kg).
Now, following a strict diet, Portia has dropped a massive amount of weight and can now walk again, now weighing 9st 4lbs, or around 57kg.
Portia was rescued from the flat and now resides at the Whitegate Animal Sanctuary in Wirral, Merseyside.
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However, things weren't easy for Portia when she first arrived at the sanctuary.
Sanctuary founder Laura Whelan told ITV: "Portia came to us last summer. She was living in someone's flat, being fed junk food, biscuits and Coca-Cola.
"I'd never seen an animal that fat. She could barely walk.
"By that time she'd already lost the use of one leg because of her weight and was almost lame."
Whelan also told the BBC that they would have to 'roll her to get her up' and she'd spend as long as 48 hours lying in bed sometimes, with the sanctuary having to handfed her because she was in 'so much pain'.
"It was almost as if she'd closed down and shut down." she added.
Before she lost weight, Portia was bullied by the other pigs at the sanctuary. Because she was too heavy to move fast, the other pigs would steal her food and run off with it.
But now Portia can happily look after herself.
"She's now half her size and is living her best life on pig pellets, fruit and vegetables." Whelan said.
"With time and with love and care and patience, we've managed to basically get her back introduced into being a pig.
"She didn't know what straw was so she didn't know how to make herself a bed." she said.
And Portia seems to have finally made friends with the other pigs, as Whelan continued to say that she was now sleeping 'nose to nose' with the other pigs.
"She went from a very shut down, very sad, very depressed pig to someone now with quite a good little life and attitude." the founder added.
According to the UK government website, if you own a pig or 'micro-pig', then you are responsible for that pig's welfare.
Pigs must be provided 'a suitable place to live', as well as an appropriate diet and good hygiene practices.
The RSPCA have also said that pigs, especially micro-pigs, are becoming 'increasingly popular' and are sometimes advertised as 'cute pets' that are easy to look after.
However, some pigs that are believed to be micro-pigs can actually be quite the opposite - as one family found out when their 'micro-pig' grew to 28 stone.
Kit Roberts