Pig leads cops on 3-hour chase into Freehold Township woods

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — A 400-pound pig that ran in and out of traffic on Route 9 had to be lassoed to safety by the Monmouth County SPCA on Thursday afternoon.

The SPCA said in a Facebook post they were called in after township police couldn't gain control of the pig.

MCCPCA executive director Ross Licitra told New Jersey 101.5 that he and Chief Animal Control Officer Scott Crawford shot it three times with a tranquilizer gun, which had no effect. The pig ran into the woods near the Monmouth Battlefield State Park.

"This little pig was a little fighter. It took us three hours to get her under control." Licitra said.

For comparison, Licitra said most deer shot with the same dart will go down after just one shot.

"I think their hide is so thick it didn't even get through it," Licitra said.

Crawford and Licitra went through the thick brush to a creek embankment where they were able to lasso the pig. She was brought to the small Marlboro farm that often takes in livestock for the MCSPCA.

"She's doing great today. She's at the farm and she's with the other pigs doing what a pig does," Licitra said.

Licitra isn't sure where the pig came from and if no one claims her she'll have a new home in Marlboro.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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