A LaSalle resident is calling on the City of Montreal to let her pet pig live out his final years in peace, and thousands of people are rallying behind her.
A Change.org petition titled “Allow the Registration of Timmy the Pig under Montreal’s Grandfather Clause” has been circulating online since Friday, quickly gaining signatures and donations. It calls on city officials to reconsider a bylaw that would force Sandra, the potbelly pig’s longtime owner, to give him up within two weeks.
“In the heart of Montreal, Timmy, a lovable potbelly pig and cherished family member, has been my companion for over 11 years,” Sandra wrote in her plea. “He’s not just any pig; he’s family, and the bond we share is irreplaceable.”
According to Sandra, Timmy was born in 2014 and adopted from a registered Quebec breeder. He’s fully house-trained, affectionate, and “nowadays, he’d rather nap than anything else.” But due to a city bylaw introduced in 2018, only pigs already residing in Montreal and officially registered within a short 30-day window were allowed to remain as pets.
A statement on the city’s website regarding pig ownership reads as follows: “Pigs are prohibited in Montreal. Only residents who owned a dwarf pig or miniature pig before the summer of 2018, who obtained their permit prior to 2018 and renewed it annually, may keep their pet pig.”
Sandra says she never knew about the registration deadline at the time, and now the city is demanding she remove Timmy from her home, despite his age and long-standing presence.
“The city has given me 14 days to abandon him, without offering any alternatives or guidance,” she wrote in the petition.
Back in 2018, a similar case made headlines when a family in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve was told they had 15 days to remove their pot-bellied pig, Babe, due to a complaint and Montreal’s animal control bylaws. After public outcry and a meeting with the borough mayor, Babe was ultimately allowed to stay, with officials agreeing to recognize his status. At the time, the city noted that pet pigs weren’t legally recognized but said cases would be assessed individually.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Sandra, who claims to have her pig’s vet records and documentation, thanked the thousands who are supporting her efforts.
“I’m so touched and truly overwhelmed by all your generosity and support. Please don’t feel like you have to donate; a kind comment or simply signing the petition is already more than I can ever ask for,” she wrote.
The story has sparked an emotional response from the public, with dozens of comments demanding that the city make an exception.
“Montreal should be ashamed of themselves for trying to run this happy boy out on a technicality!!” one signer wrote. “She has all the proper documents, and you should allow her to register him.”
Another comment reads: “Timmy is a beloved family pet & a friendly fixture in his neighbourhood… Just leave him and his family alone and let him live his years out in peace.”
The petition argues that registering Timmy now would honour the “spirit and intent” of the 2018 grandfather clause, rather than punish owners who missed the city’s registration window due to lack of awareness.
MTL Blog reached out to the City of Montreal for comment on Sandra’s case, but had not received a response by the time of publication.
As of Monday, the petition, which has accumulated over 4,500 signatures, continues to gain traction, with Sandra hoping it will be enough to convince the city to reconsider.
You can read and sign the petition here.
