The Benicia City Council will be voting to consider whether or not to say “That’ll do” to the ownership of miniature pigs at tonight’s meeting.

An ordinance to allow people to keep mini pigs as pets in Benicia is on the council’s table for this evening. As detailed in a staff report by City Attorney Heather McLaughlin, the ordinance was requested by several residents and drafted with the help of Kristen Moore and using ordinances in Vacaville and Fairfield as inspiration. The legislation defines the “miniature pot-bellied pig” as “a cloven-hoofed animal, also known as Juliana, Vietnamese, Chinese or Asian pot-bellied pig which is domesticated, does not exceed 22 inches in height at the shoulders and does not exceed 100 pounds in weight.”

The ordinance would allow mini pigs inside the city limits so long as the owner does not keep more than two, obtains permission from the owner of a property where the animals are being kept, spays or neuters any pot-bellied pig older than four months, bears the responsibility of picking up the pig’s droppings and keeps them on leashes when in public. Likewise, owners must obtain licenses from the police chief for pigs older than four months and give them tags.

“Staff has reviewed the ordinance and has no objection to it,” McLaughlin wrote.

However, McLaughlin noted that the council may want to consider items related to animal control in the future, namely revisions to its established dangerous animal provisions and examining the keeping and reporting of suspected stray animals.

“While the stray animal provision will not take much time to prepare, the dangerous animal provisions will take more than 15 minutes,” McLaughlin wrote. “Direction is needed in order for staff to proceed with this work.”

Pigs will not be the only animal to be represented on the agenda tonight. The council will also consider a request by Vice Mayor Steve Young to place a discussion of the city’s policy regarding dogs in city parks on a future council agenda.

In other, non-critter matters, the council will mull the adoption of the Benicia Industrial Park Transportation and Employment Center plan, which aims to create more employment opportunities in the region and increasing the transportation environment by identifying potential improvements.

The council will meet at 6:30 p.m. tonight in a closed session to discuss legal matters. The regular meeting will start at 7 in the Council Chamber of City Hall, 250 East L St.

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