Basic News Story~Final Draft

Christina Collinge

COM 3330/ 04

February 8, 2011

Writing Assignment #1-Basic News Story- Final Draft

Pig Roaming Cobb County Finally Caught

The black runaway pot-bellied pig that was wandering around Cobb County off Chastain Road in Kennesaw on Thursday afternoon was finally caught on Sunday morning police said.

The small pig was itinerant around the dumpsters in the back of Kayson’s restaurant on Chastain Road when an employee, Candice Estes, noticed the hairy, uninvited visitor. Kayson’s employees, only considered for the pig’s safety, called animal control.

Animal control officers said that after tending to the dumpster, the pot-bellied pig ran along Interstate 75. Many people continued to call local news stations to help officials locate the pig. Pot-bellied pigs can grow to be about 125 pounds, and from the extensive chase the pig has given the officials, eyewitness Larry Sanders said the pig had to be a baby because it looked no more than 30 pounds. Kennesaw State University police sent out an alert to all students and faculty members saying where the pig was sited, and assured the faculty and staff that the pig was not dangerous.

Animal control and police officers, concerned that the pig might run into oncoming traffic on I-75 and cause an accident, attempted to catch the nomadic pig. The attempt was a failure. The pig had run into the woods at sundown. Officer Joe Hernandez, a spokesman with Cobb County Police Department, said that Cobb County and animal control officers would continue their search early Friday morning.

Authorities’ attempts to capture the pig failed. The pig was spotted again on Friday morning when search efforts continued. Hernandez said that animal control officers C. Awtrey and N. Walker set up traps for the pig and then later R.Tate and N. Walker continued to chase the pig with nets. Around 11 a.m., the pig went back into the woods where authorities could not locate it police said.  Around 4:30 p.m. it was spotted again when a caller called a local news station in Atlanta regarding the location of the pig. Efforts to catch the wayward pig Saturday were again unsuccessful, but by Saturday night, the pot-bellied animal was finally lured close by one of the humane traps. Hernandez said that on Sunday morning, three days after the initial sighting of the pig, animal control officials gathered around the I-75 on ramp to Chastain Road to find the pig near the traps that they had set up on Thursday evening. Animal control officials were then able to use the necessary tools to capture the runaway pig around 10:00 a.m. Hernandez said.

No one has yet to claim the pig. The animal was not harmed during the rescue and was sent to the Cobb County Animal Shelter, Hernandez said. If no one claims the pig soon, it will be sent to an organization that rescues and takes care of pigs.