A miniature pet pig didn’t make it through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspection at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego, Calif.
A 63-year-old man and his granddaughter applied for entry into the U.S. on Sept. 11 by presenting valid travel documents, CBP reports. Both travelers and the vehicle they were driving were then referred on to receive further inspection because they declared a pet pig.
The pig was denied entry into the U.S. and the owners voluntarily returned their pet pig back to Mexico.
Live pigs are not allowed entry into the U.S. without a required Veterinary Service permit. Pigs must also be regulated as livestock to be eligible to cross into the U.S. from other countries.
“While many travelers would like to cross pets of different breeds into the U.S., we must ensure from a customs perspective that we mitigate potential diseases from animals that come from other countries,” Rosa Hernandez, acting director of field operations of San Diego, said in a release. “It’s unfortunate that some travelers are unable to cross their pets, but we must follow USDA and CDC guidelines to protect our citizens.”
With the threat of African swine fever (ASF) looming in the the Dominican Republic and Haiti, CBP officers are doing everything they can to prevent possible foreign animal disease introduction to occur.
CBP note that there are some animals that may be detained while awaiting disposition at the owner’s expense. African rodents, bats, nonhuman primates and civets may not be imported as pets under any circumstances. Pets that are not permitted to cross into the U.S. must be sent back to the country of origin.
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