Wild boar kept as pet surrendered to S.F. animal shelter. Now he’s found a home

Animal shelters take in all sorts of pets – from dogs to cats to rodents to goats.

One animal most don’t expect is a wild boar.

Some San Francisco residents brought just such an animal in to Animal Care & Control San Francisco last week – on a leash and harness, according to SFGate. It was a “definite first” for the shelter.

“The residents apparently found Spirit, a young wild boar, when he was a baby three months ago in an area near Mount Shasta,” the shelter posted on Facebook last Friday. They apparently thought he was orphaned.

“They brought him home to keep as a pet, but developed doubts about keeping him as he got bigger.”

Bringing home a wild animal is against state law, and the young boars grow fast.

In California, if you possess or transport wildlife, you face fines up to $10,000, SFGate reports.

Boars also “make terrible pets,” according to the shelter, “and this isn’t how they should be living their best life.”

“Please keep wildlife in the wild,” the shelter pleads in a video.

Spirit, described as a “friendly swine,” has found a home, animal control officials told SFGate this week. He’ll join other rescued animals, including reindeer, at Windswept Ranch in Tehachapi.

“Happy Thanksgiving Spirit! We’re so happy he found a great home!” Animal Care posted on Facebook on Wednesday.

This story was originally published November 22, 2017 at 3:30 PM with the headline "Wild boar kept as pet surrendered to S.F. animal shelter. Now he’s found a home."