‘It grabbed me by my hair like microwave popcorn’: Woman assaulted by escaped farm animal in city neighborhood

A woman in Buffalo, New York, had a frightening encounter with an unexpected animal on Thursday—a pig named Breakfast. The pig got loose from its owner’s yard and charged at a local resident in the Hamlin Park Historic District, leaving neighbors shocked and concerned.

According to The Independent, Renita Shadwick was the victim of the surprising attack. Shadwick recounted that Breakfast came straight at her and knocked her to the ground. She described the bizarre experience, saying, “It was on me. And it grabbed me by my hair like you’d shake a bag of microwave popcorn.” Shadwick had to use her arm to shield her face as she struggled with the pig. Throughout the ordeal, she couldn’t shake the feeling of how odd it was to be fending off a pig in the middle of Buffalo.

The situation escalated when the pig’s owner arrived on the scene. Shortly after the attack, a Buffalo police officer came running over. Shadwick managed to catch the moment on video. In the clip, the officer can be heard yelling for Breakfast—the pig—explaining that it belonged to him and had escaped by crawling under their backyard fence. When Shadwick told the officer that the pig had jumped on her and bitten her, the officer responded that Breakfast likely thought she had food because she smelled nice.

After the chaotic scene, the officer was able to capture Breakfast and return the animal to his house, according to neighbors who spoke with 7 News.

Reactions in the community have been mixed. While some locals find the story amusing, others see it as a serious issue. Angie Davis-Leveritte, a nearby resident, said that although seeing a pig in the city is funny at first, it’s actually concerning. “Your first reaction is to laugh because it’s so random,” she said. “But it’s really not safe to have any animal running loose like that. It’s just like having a loose dog—it can be risky.”

Currently, Buffalo’s city ordinances don’t have clear regulations about keeping pigs or other farm animals as pets, which may explain how a pig came to be living in the neighborhood in the first place.

Unusual animal encounters have been popping up more frequently across the country, sparking debates about animal safety and city rules. In response to this incident, Council Member Zeneta Everhart released a statement expressing her concern. She said she was deeply troubled when she heard about the pig attack on Victor Place and immediately notified Buffalo Police. Everhart also spoke with Shadwick and noted she was relieved her injuries were not more severe.

City officials have launched an investigation into what happened, and they’ve called the incident unacceptable. The community now waits to see if new rules will be put in place to prevent similar situations in the future.
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