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Curious City

Do pigs need rescuing?

Curious City

WBEZ Chicago

Investigation, Chicago, Radio, Arts, Society & Culture, Public, Education, Curious, City

4.6661 Ratings

🗓️ 28 August 2025

⏱️ 15 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The story of Pigasus, who unknowingly accepted the Youth International Party (Yippie) nomination for president in Daley Plaza in 1968, shows that sometimes pigs need rescuing. “My heart hurt for the pig,” said April Noga, executive director of Chicagoland Pig Rescue, of Pigasus’s run for president. “Because I put myself in the pig’s shoes of being pulled around a rally and then detained and not knowing what's going on. And used as, not entertainment but used as a prop. Because the pig is a sentient being.” In our last episode, we dispelled a rumor that Pigasus was barbecued. Reporter Andrew Meriwether searched Grayslake and Libertyville for the farm where she lived out her days following the ‘68 campaign. In today’s episode, Noga tells us why pigs still need rescuing. She explains that Chicagoland Pig Rescue gets as many as 20 calls a month, from overwhelmed people in need of rehoming a small-breed pet pig, to concerned citizens who have spotted an injured, large-breed pig on the side of the road. “Every case is a little different,” Noga said. Noga explains how she started Chicagoland Pig Rescue and how pig rescuing and fostering works. She also introduces us to Ramona, a three-year old potbelly mix who was rescued from a home where she was neglected. Noga described Ramona — who is one of six pigs in Noga’s “house herd” — as an "automatic foster fail."

Transcript

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0:00.0

Listen to more news from WBEZ anytime on the WBEZ app.

0:07.0

Start each day informed.

0:09.0

Tap and listen live or on demand.

0:11.0

Available on iOS and Android.

0:15.0

What's up, Chicago?

0:17.0

I'm Erin Allen and this is Curious City.

0:20.0

This is a pig in our studio that you're hearing.

0:25.6

She's actually pretty quiet except for when she is eating Cheerios.

0:30.6

Oh yeah, there we go.

0:33.6

That's what she wants.

0:34.6

And her presence caused quite a little star around here.

0:38.3

I never liked a pig before.

0:41.3

Never miced a pig?

0:43.3

No.

0:44.3

Shocking.

0:45.3

I liked a lot of things.

0:46.3

Pigs, no.

0:47.3

So why is there a pig on Navy Pier?

0:49.3

Well, on our last episode,

0:51.3

reporter Andrew Meriwether went searching for the animal sanctuary

0:56.0

that took in Piggasus, the local pig that unsuccessfully ran for president back in 1968.

1:06.0

His quest got us thinking about pigs in the area now. Do they need rescuing these days?

...

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