Police investigate case of pigs sick with virus stolen from Ruakākā

Ruakākā local John Haile wants his loved pet piglets returned to his family farm. Photo / Adam Pearse

A Ruakākā family is furious over the abduction of their sick pet piglets whose highly contagious virus could kill them if they are not properly cared for.

The six piglets were being carefully managed for rotavirus, owner John Haile said. The 8-week-old pets - alongside their mother and siblings - were being quarantined in four pens to eradicate the virus when they were taken last Friday night.

"We're feeling violated because someone has marched across our property and helped themselves to our animals," Haile said. "I'm blown away that stock rustling goes on in our community."

Rotavirus is a highly infectious virus of the gut which, in severe or unmanaged cases, can lead to death. It can range from a short period of mild, watery diarrhoea to severe, dehydrating diarrhoea with vomiting, fever and shock. There are animal rotaviruses and human rotaviruses.

According to an article in News Medical Life Sciences, there is evidence animal rotaviruses can infect humans.

" ... either via direct transmission of the virus or by contributing one or several genes to reassortants with essentially a human strain genetic background."

However, the Northern Advocate was unable to confirm this information with local vets or health organisations.

Haile believed a sow they bought from a Kerikeri farm had introduced the virus to the piglets. A visit to the vet coupled with extensive research, a week earlier, diagnosed the rotavirus case - which information from YourVet Waipu confirmed is common in livestock.

But a lot of love, electrolytes, careful diets, and plenty of time was needed to help the piglets get better, Haile said.

Haile's 10- and 12-year-old daughters were distraught their piglets were gone.

Initially reared for practical farming reasons - such as food and profit - they quickly became adored pets after the family of four fell in love with them.

"They can't grasp the fact that you can rear pigs and then someone thinks they have the right to take them - they don't have the right," Haile said.

"The piglets were a part of teaching our kids about animals and to help get them off the iPad ... they've become attached."

Haile went to his farm on Saturday morning to discover 10 piglets running around a field on the 4ha property.

"I got them all back in and fed them and realised some were missing," he said.

Haile thought it was a case of the piglets' occasional great escapes and that they would return when they became hungry enough, "like usual".

"As the day went on I got more concerned. I came back home and it really played on my mind. Then in the middle of the night sat up in bed worried so later went back to count them and six were missing."

Haile felt targeted as he described how it was impossible to see the house, let alone the pig pens, from the roadside.

"You can't see us as we are down an 800m shared driveway with four other houses."

He noticed the gate at the front of the property was open despite being the last person on the farm and ensuring it was closed. Haile believed whoever was responsible had climbed the 1.52cm fence that protects the pens.

A police spokesperson said they were making inquiries into the alleged theft of the pigs.

Police encouraged those responsible to return the pigs to Haile and his family.

Anyone with information is urged to contact 105 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.