Thursday, April 16, 2009

Update on Alaina Templeton, Pet Pig With A Surname

When we first wrote about poor Alaina Templeton in a November 2007 article, Pig-Sitter Faces Charges for Fattening the Hog, we left off with this cliffhanger:

Misdemeanor charges against the sitter were indeed laid, and are pending.

So, now it will be up to the Minnesota courts to decide.

Will Alaina Templeton, a pig with a surname, receive the justice she so richly deserves?

Will this pig tale end with Alaina's pig-sitter in the pen...?

That's pen...

As in penitentiary.

The verdict, and some sad news, is now in, courtesy of Minneapolis TV station WCCO.com:
A Minnesota pet sitter accused of abuse for allowing a potbellied pig to triple its weight has received a year probation and must repay veterinary bills that could exceed $1,000.

Fifty-three-year-old Mary Beesecker of Houston entered an Alford plea Monday to one count of animal cruelty, meaning she admits no wrongdoing but acknowledges she'd likely be convicted.

Beesecker was taking care of the pig, Alaina Templeton, in 2007 when it gained so much weight its collar got embedded in its neck.

Alaina's owner, Michelle Schmitz, said she thought the sentence was light, but is glad the case is over.

Beesecker maintained Monday she took good care of Alaina.

Alaina's story made headlines and was the subject of a joke on "Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update."

The 6-year-old pig died last November of unknown causes.


- Garry J. Wise, Toronto

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Ok...I Google'd my name one day, and I came across this news article. My name is honestly Alaina Templeton. I am 18 years old from Southwest Iowa. I can't believe what a coincidence this is. It is probably going to cause a lot of fat jokes, though! :-)