Parrot the Pig is detained after leading Albuquerque police on pursuit on highway I-40
By: -----
Albuquerque, NM - A pig caused a stir on the freeway, leading to a viral police chase.
The pig, named Parrot, shut down I-40 in Albuquerque on Tuesday, prompting a chase by police officers. Officer Howard Perry was among those involved in the pursuit.
“As my partner rolls up, he calls on the radio, ‘oh my God, there’s a pig on the freeway right now,’” said Perry.
The chase was captured on video, showing officers running after the pig near Louisiana Boulevard.
“At one point the pig stops, turns around and dukes out my partner, heads back towards me. I’m thinking OK, it’s my turn now I’ve got to do something,” said Perry.
Eventually, the officers managed to catch Parrot and take him into custody.
“When I picked him up, it was relatively light, very smelly, I will tell you that. It was a very smelly pig,” said Perry.
Parrot is now at Albuquerque’s West Side Shelter, where he is receiving attention and care.
“He’s loving all the attention. He loves being scratched, and you know, he’s a cool little guy,” said Lt. Ramon Candelaria of Albuquerque Animal Welfare.
Animal welfare officers expect someone to claim Parrot soon, and with his newfound fame, he may be headed for bigger things.