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Forget tiny chihuahuas peeping out of handbags à la Paris <br> <br> Hilton, or Taylor Swift with her adorably grumpy looking Scottish Fold cats who have become <br> <br> celebrities in their own right. <br> <br> <br> <br> When it comes to capturing my heart with a cuddly creature,<br> <br> it's the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, 75, who's reinvented himself as the internet's favourite granddad with his wholesome life with a menagerie of animals, who <br> <br> has won me over.<br> <br> <br> <br> The jewel in the crown of his ever-growing brood of beasts is Schnelly the pig, who joined the family in April last year, making the <br> <br> star the latest in a long list of celebrities to realise the joys <br> <br> of a porky pal - along with Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and the Beckhams. <br> <br> <br> <br> I'm completely smitten with the cuteness of pet pigs.<br> <br> I lose hours scrolling through Instagram, looking at pictures of <br> <br> furry little piglets with pretty pink snouts.<br> <br> <br> <br> There are 255,000 Insta posts with the hashtag #petpig and I've <br> <br> probably looked at all of them. Then there's the 286,000 posts hashtagged <br> <br> #micropig and I'd hazard a guess that I've seen all of <br> <br> those too.<br> <br> <br> <br> So I'm rather excited to discover that there's a pig farm less than an hour from central London, where I can find out what <br> <br> it's really like to have a porcine pet.<br> <br> <br> <br> While celebrities might get away with turning up <br> <br> to photoshoots, TV appearances and fancy restaurants with all <br> <br> manner of furry creatures, will I get the same reception if I take <br> <br> a pig for a stroll down the high street?<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Samantha Rea from London strolling down the high street in Old Amersham with Astrid,<br> <br> a 16 month old micro pig<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> The pair stopped off at The Griffin, a private members club, bistro <br> <br> and bakery, for some refreshments after a trot down the <br> <br> high street <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Samantha Rea spent time at the Kew Little Pig <br> <br> Farm in Amersham, Buckinghamshire to learn how to muck out <br> <br> and care for pigs <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Learning how to feed hay to the pigs did make Samantha <br> <br> question whether it's easier to stick with a dog or cat <br> <br> as a pet <br> <br> <br> <br> I'm hoping the Kew Little Pigs Farm will help me find out.<br> <br> It specialises in miniature pigs, which pig lovers can buy or 'adopt' to visit on the farm.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Then there are the day trips. The Piggy Pet & Play package <br> <br> lets visitors 'pet, brush, groom, watch and play with the pigs.' The Pig Enthusiast <br> <br> package can include putting sun cream on the pigs, and the Comprehensive Guide <br> <br> to Pig Keeping teaches you everything you need to know before buying your own micro pig.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Clearly I must go there!<br> <br> <br> <br> And so I head to Amersham, in Buckinghamshire, where Kew Little Pigs Farm is based.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> When I arrive, owner Olivia Mikhail looks slightly concerned at the sight of my Converse trainers and cropped <br> <br> jeans, a combination that will surely result in splattered shins.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> However, Olivia has no idea just how prepared I actually am, because <br> <br> I have packed not only knee high wellies for my time on the <br> <br> farm, but also my designer heels, for my glimpse into what life's like <br> <br> as a pig-owning celebrity.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Arnold Schwarzenegger with Schnelly the pig, who <br> <br> joined his menagerie of pets in April last year<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Ariane Grande and Pete Davidson adopted Piggy Smallz during their short-lived romance in 2018<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Comedian John Bishop was left devastated when his rescue pig Milo passed away <br> <br> last year, describing him as the 'heartbeat' of the family<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Paris Hilton started the chihuahuas in handbags craze, and is also the <br> <br> proud owner of Princess Piglette<br> <br> <br> <br> George Clooney, Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus, Jonathan Ross,<br> <br> Charlotte Church and even the Beckhams have all kept pigs <br> <br> as pets over the past decade or so, while more recently Ariane Grande and Pete Davidson adopted <br> <br> Piggy Smallz during their short-lived romance. <br> <br> <br> <br> Comedian John Bishop gave rescue pig Milo a home for more than a decade and was <br> <br> devastated when the pet passed away, saying he was the 'heartbeat' of the <br> <br> family.<br> <br> <br> <br> They're as much a celeb accessory as oversized <br> <br> sunglasses - which is why I've brought those with <br> <br> me too.<br> <br> <br> <br> But first things first. Before I spend an afternoon taking a petite pig for a stroll, I sit down with Olivia in the Kew Little Pigs cafe, to complete the theory side of <br> <br> the Comprehensive Guide to Pig Keeping.<br> <br> <br> <br> It turns out there is quite a lot of admin involved in owning a pig, <br> <br> alongside a rule book thicker than Harry Potter. <br> <br> <br> <br> Who knew that you needed a license to walk a pig?<br> <br> Who would imagine that you can't feed pigs your kitchen leftovers?<br> <br> It used to be common practice, but has been banned because of the risk of diseases <br> <br> such as African swine flu and foot and mouth disease that can be spread by consuming contaminated pork products. <br> <br> <br> <br> Who can fathom having to fill out a form to drive your pig from one place to another - again for disease control reasons? <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> After all the admin and mucking out, Samantha was delighted to move on to the fun part - cuddles with Astrid <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Samantha found that mucking out the pig pen was actually a lot more civilised than picking up poo on a dog walk <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Samantha came armed with wellies for her day at the <br> <br> farm, but made sure to keep it glamorous <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> After swapping her flimsy trainers for wellies, Samantha felt equipped to tackle her day on the farm <br> <br> <br> <br> And who would guess that pigs have to have their own house?<br> <br> I mean, it's only got to be about the size <br> <br> of shed, but it's actually a law to uphold welfare standards.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> I suppose none of this is an issue for celebrities who have people to do paperwork <br> <br> for them - not to mention acres of space - but to me it <br> <br> seems insurmountable.<br> <br> <br> <br> Olivia senses that my dreams are crushed and attempts to reassure me: 'It's really not that much <br> <br> paperwork. Look, filling in this form would take two minutes.' <br> <br> <br> <br> Moving on from the theory, we head outside for the practical part of the course.<br> <br> Here, in large pens, are lots of little pigs which are super cute, so this makes me happy.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> I am given a rake to claw the pig poo into a dustpan. Both the <br> <br> rake and the dustpan have long handles and I like <br> <br> the distance this creates. It is certainly more civilised than picking up poo in a flimsy plastic bag on a dog walk. <br> <br> <br> <br> Clearing away pig excrement with proper equipment which allows you to maintain a civilised, and sanitary, distance makes me wonder if - despite the paperwork - pigs might just trump <br> <br> dogs.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Samantha was worried she might attract stares walking Astrid through town, but nobody batted <br> <br> an eyelid <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Samantha treated herself to a hot chocolate while Astrid enjoyed some <br> <br> pig treats <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Samantha swapped her wellington boots for high heels to glam up to take her pet pig down to the town centre for lunch<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Taking a pig out for a walk is trickier than it looks, and a lot <br> <br> of treats are required to keep things on track <br> <br> <br> <br> Next, Olivia asks if I would like to feed the pigs. Yes of <br> <br> course! She hands me some hay that's stuffed inside what's basically a large fishnet <br> <br> stocking, the size of Santa's sack. The hay sticks out of <br> <br> all the holes, and it's my job to hang up the sack in the pig pen, so the pigs can eat from it.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> This sounds easy. Only it's not. 'NOT THERE! NO!<br> <br> <br> <br> IT'S GOT TO BE HIGHER! TIE IT ROUND THE POST! NO! NOT LIKE THAT!<br> <br> NO!'<br> <br> <br> <br> I feel like a failing contestant on The Crystal Maze, only this is worse because I'm now surrounded by hungry pigs <br> <br> and I cannot see a panic button.<br> <br> <br> <br> I swear there was something on Netflix where murdered bodies were dumped in a pig pen, to be <br> <br> eaten by the pigs. Or maybe the bodies were eaten alive.<br> <br> This definitely happens all the time, according to TV, and now <br> <br> I don't even know which is worse, the prospect of being felled by pigs eating through my <br> <br> ankles, or the pressure to hang the hay correctly.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> It is like my challenge on The Crystal Maze has been especially devised to amuse the <br> <br> inhabitants of hell.<br> <br> <br> <br> I find myself grateful to make it out of the pig pen alive.<br> <br> Surely I get to do celebrity stuff now?<br> <br> <br> <br> Celebrities' pigs are as stylish as their owners, so <br> <br> I've sourced designer outfits for my trottered chums. I'd <br> <br> initially looked at diamond chokers by Dior, because what pig wouldn't want <br> <br> a diamond collar? But apparently pigs are happier in harnesses, which fit around the body, not just the neck.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> I hunt for a harness that an A-lister might pick for their pig, and I am delighted to discover a pink leopard print harness with <br> <br> a matching lead. <br> <br> <br> <br> It is by Urban Pup, a pet fashion brand whose website I've now <br> <br> spent more time on than all the other websites in my search <br> <br> history.<br> <br> <br> <br> There's the zebra print, the cheetah print, the pink argyle; the florals, the tartans,<br> <br> and the hearts. There's the range inspired by Legally Blonde <br> <br> and the pet carrier that resembles a pink Chanel handbag.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Then there are the socks…<br> <br> <br> <br> I turn up at the farm with more outfits for the pigs <br> <br> than I have for myself. I guess this is what it's like <br> <br> being a pig parent: #SELFLESS<br> <br> <br> <br> I am introduced to Astrid, a 16 month old micro piglet who'll fulfill my dreams of walking a <br> <br> pig. I show Olivia all the outfits I've brought from Urban Pup and she picks out a <br> <br> pink tartan harness with a matching lead.<br> <br> <br> <br> I want to dress up all the pigs but Olivia says no. That's OK.<br> <br> There is probably some law about only one pig at a time looking this stunning.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> When Astrid and I are dressed, we head into Old Amersham.<br> <br> <br> <br> It's a pretty market town in the Chilterns with cobbled streets and <br> <br> quaint white buildings with beams.<br> <br> <br> <br> So how will locals feel about a pig on a lead?<br> <br> <br> <br> I imagine I may be sternly spoken to by a member of the <br> <br> Women's Institute. However, it turns out that Old Amersham is perfectly au fait <br> <br> with celebrity antics, given that Poirot, Midsomer Murders and Four Weddings and a Funeral have all been filmed there.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> On my pig keeping course I have learnt that pigs never poo where they eat, sleep or socialise, because they're <br> <br> very clean, so from day one, without any training, a pig will go outside to poo.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> I am surprised then, as I arrive in Old Amersham, to find that Astrid <br> <br> has done her business in her carry box. I try not to think <br> <br> about this, as I hold her lead.<br> <br> <br> <br> Our first stop is the Amersham Museum. I'm not a <br> <br> massive fan of walking around looking at things, but I hear the museum homes a Tudor dining table that visitors are <br> <br> welcome to sit at. It is about lunchtime, so I'm hopeful I'll be served a Tudor banquet.<br> <br> I quite fancy a tankard of wine and a bit of wild boar.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Unfortunately, Astrid does not, and so, despite being welcomed by museum director <br> <br> Briony, we leave pretty much as soon as we arrive.<br> <br> <br> <br> We go for a stroll instead, but I have to scatter pig food pellets <br> <br> to coax Astrid along the pavement. I guess celebrities get <br> <br> their assistants to walk ahead, trailing treats to entice the pet <br> <br> pigs in the right direction. <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Hard at work: Writer Samantha Rea tried the Comprehensive Guide to <br> <br> Pig Keeping, which  teaches you everything you need to know before buying <br> <br> your own micro pig<br> <br> <br> <br> However, doing it without an assistant, I find myself thinking that it's definitely <br> <br> easier to walk a dog.<br> <br> <br> <br> Celebrity life is about lounging in luxurious surroundings,<br> <br> so Astrid and I head to The Griffin, a private members club, bistro and bakery, that's pretty much the Soho House of Amersham.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> In the beamed building that dates back to the 17th century, <br> <br> there are gorgeous leather sofas and cosy cushions. However, I have learnt on my pig keeping course that pigs <br> <br> are happiest alfresco, so Astrid and I take a seat on the astro-turf terrace, beneath a pretty parasol that wouldn't be out of place in a Cotswolds <br> <br> shoot for Tatler.<br> <br> <br> <br> It is here, as we relax like A-listers, that Astrid and I are at our happiest.<br> <br> <br> <br> As I sip a coffee and eye-up a chocolate brownie (I'm being a <br> <br> celebrity, remember, I don't actually eat these things), <br> <br> Astrid puts her trotters up on the seat beside me and enjoys a few pig food pellets.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Clearly this is our natural environment, so it's probably <br> <br> just a matter of time before Astrid is snapped up by a <br> <br> celebrity to live life first class. <br> <br> <br> <br> But for now, Astrid must mooch back to the mud, and I must head home to wash pig <br> <br> poo off my wellies.<br> <br> <br> <br> I am chuffed to bits to have spent an afternoon with Astrid, but as I think it all over, on the train back to Marylebone, I know that I'll never keep a <br> <br> pig as a pet. <br> <br> <br> <br> Aside from all the legal red tape, my lack of space <br> <br> in London, and the trickiness of trying to take a pig <br> <br> for a walk, there's always the fear that the micro <br> <br> pig might turn out to be not so tiny after all. <br> <br> <br> <br> I've seen headlines about 4 ounce "teacup" pigs growing bigger than a bear, and frankly I find it <br> <br> terrifying. So I'll leave the pet pigs to the celebrities. <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> LondonParis Hilton<br> <br> <br> <br> Have a look at my blog post; discuss - https://Bookmarkstore.download/story.php?title=%E2%80%9C%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%B0%E0%B9%83%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%81%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%9E-%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A1%E2%80%9D
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