Tatamagouche Fire Department rescues Pourquoi the Pig

Pourquoi, a 200-pound Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, was probably wonderingwhy hisgarage flooded on Saturday, and whether he would make it out alive.

"[The water]was up to his chin," said owner HannaHunzikerofBrule, a small community in Colchester Countyin Nova Scotia.

"He would have drowned."

Hunzikercalled firefighters to help rescue her beloved pig, who lives in a detached garage on her property. The garage wasflooded with snowmeltwhichhad created a river onHunziker's property, in part because of how the road and driveway had been plowed.

Firefighters from theTatamagoucheFire Department responded,got a rope aroundPourquoiand pulled thepig out of the garage.

Butthe ordeal wasn't over yet. Pourquoihad to be moved through the water surrounding the garage, and climb a six-footsnowbank to get to dry land.

A lot of squealing

Firefighter Mark Langilletook the call and helped out at the scene.

"It wasn't easy for anybody," he said.

Langille says the distance between the house and the garage is about 140 metres, and Pourquoi was not exactly a willing participant.

"He didn't want to go. He did a lot of squealing," said Langille.

He saidHunzikar cautioned the firefighters that Pourquoi might bite them, but he didn't.

Hunzikersaid she felt helpless about the ordeal. She said her husband died last year and this is her first winter alone. She is also recovering from surgery, and isn't back to 100 per cent strength.

An excavator came by on Sunday andduga trench, allowingthe water on the property todrain properly.

The water also came within a few feet ofHunziker'shouse. She said if it had beenwarmer yesterday or had rained, she would have had to leave the house along with her pets.

Pourquoinormally lives in the garage becauseHunzikeralso has a dog, and the two need to be separated.

For now,Pourquoiis back in the house, but in a separate room from the dog.Pourquoiis now probably saying "Merci."