A Massachusetts woman faces possible felony charges for allegedly allowing her pig to get too fat. Authorities say the pig was allowed to reach twice its normal weight. (Carsten Koall/Getty Images)
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A Massachusetts woman now faces animal cruelty charges because she allegedly allowed her pig to become morbidly obese.
Megan Caterino of Billerica, Massachusetts, had her potbellied pig Maybelle removed from her care after authorities discovered the pig weighed 196 pounds, which is roughly double what she should weigh, according to animal experts.
Maybelle lacked the strength to carry her own weight, therefore she was unable to stand and couldn't see because rolls of extra skin hung down so far she was unable to open her eyes.
"It's not healthy," ARL Law Enforcement Officer Darleen Wood told WBZ-TV. "And as much as being underweight is a form of neglect and abuse, so is being this much overweight."
Although Caterino claimed she was only keeping the pig for a friend, this is the third pig to be removed from Caterino's care, according to Billerico Animal Control.
Animal cruelty is a felony in Massachusetts, carrying a maximum possible penalty of seven years in prison, along with a $5,000 fine, for a first offense. Subsequent offenses are punishable by up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
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