This little piggy went home

Causing a ruckus on the community page for Bayport-Blue Point was 4-year-old KuneKune pig, Lemon Verbena, who got out of her barn when landscapers left a gate open on Wednesday, Nov. 11.

A post came up at around 11 a.m. with the photo of the 300-pound Lemon Verbena lost on Gillette Avenue in Bayport.

The author of the post said it was not the pig of a certain family, which led commenters to speculate about different families in the neighborhood who might be missing their pig. After half a dozen guesses, many remarked at how wonderful it was how many people in the neighborhood owned pet pigs.

Pig parents Heather and Frank Romano were quickly notified by a neighbor who saw the post (the Romanos are not on Facebook) and Lemon Verbena was safely brought back home.

This was not the first time Lemon Verbena took a trip to town. Previously, with her older KuneKune sister Maggie May (who has passed), they were able to flee home and made it all the way to CVS on the corner of Gillette Avenue and Montauk Highway.

When she is not plotting her escape, Lemon Verbena enjoys a luxurious lifestyle with the Romanos, who also have a Rhodesian ridgeback, Aslan, and on the opposite end of the size spectrum, a maltipoo, Remington (“I gave him a big name because he’s a little dog with a big spirit,” said Heather).

Lemon Verbena’s dog brothers often leave the door open and allow her to come into the house, where she is known to make a beeline for the pantry as one of her all-time favorite snacks, Cheerios, are located there.

“She’s spoiled; I give her salad dressing with her greens,” said Heather, who was delighted when gifted with Lemon Verbena by her husband as an anniversary present.

In a typical day, Lemon Verbena will graze on grass all day, eat a pound of fruits and vegetables (with a preference for apples, bananas, pineapple and strawberries), a cup of grains, and on occasion, some cheese.

While her breed, the KuneKune, is originally from New Zealand, Lemon Verbena is a true Long Island girl who came from the East End by a breeder in the Moriches.

The KuneKune are an ideal pig pet breed, as they as known to be docile and smart. The name “KuneKune” is Maori for “round and fat” (an apt description for Lemon Verbena). While females are typically 100 to 175 pounds in maturity, Lemon Verbena is nearly twice that, ostensibly enjoying her salad dressing and cheese.

As it gets colder, Lemon Verbena is expected to grow a hearty winter coat to keep her warm in her insulated barn with straw. In the summers, she enjoys mud baths to keep cool. But no matter what the season, Lemon Verbena is happiest getting love from her family. “She loves to be pet,” said Heather. “My husband pets her a lot. If you pet her belly, she rolls over on her side.”