The Patti Dale Animal Shelter in Aldergrove sees every breed of dog and cat, as well as some more exotic animals from time to time. This winter, it turned up another in its string of rarer residents.

"We had a real nice pig a couple of weeks ago," said shelter manager Sean Baker.

The pig was apparently of the pot-bellied variety, and they're often kept as pets in North America.

The animal was the size of a large dog, but built lower to the ground, Baker said.

"He was running loose," said Baker. The pig was rounded up by the animal control officers of the Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS) and the pig was brought back to the shelter.

"All the pigs end up getting called Wilbur," Baker noted.

The new 2013 edition of Wilbur - the shelter finds a pig every year or two - stayed there for about a week in a dog kennel, and surprisingly, no one came to claim the animal.

Baker isn't sure why a relatively rare animal wouldn't draw attention.

While he was there, Wilbur got plenty of fresh vegetables and some exercise.

While it's not a typical pet, pigs are said to be very trainable and intelligent, Baker said.

LAPS has since found a new home for Wilbur. LAPS crews have helped round up horses, cattle, llamas, and even ostriches over the years. Most of their owners are found fairly quickly.

mclaxton@langleyadvance.com