Woman: Police pot-shot my precious porkers

From The Associated Press

TULAROSA, N.M. — Leanne Barkemeyer has taken care of pigs nearly all her life, but she has a few less now that Otero County sheriff’s deputies shot eight pigs that were on her property.
Barkemeyer said the deputies didn’t have permission to shoot the animals, but authorities said Barkemeyer was having trouble keeping the pigs in line. She had more than 20 pigs on her land in Tularosa.
‘‘She stated that she could no longer take care of the animals, that we needed to do what we needed to do with them,’’ Undersheriff Norbert Sanchez told Albuquerque television station KOAT.
Authorities said one of the pigs charged at a deputy last Thursday, sparking the shooting. Sanchez said the sheriff’s office has since learned about an out-of-state sanctuary where people can send pigs they can no longer care for. He added that deputies don’t want a repeat of last week’s incident.
‘‘I hope it helps,’’ Barkemeyer said, referring to the sanctuary. Barkemeyer had faced charges for having the pigs on her property, but she said a judge has dismissed the case.

Jason's snark: You know, pig-on-pig violence just demeans us all. So, I guess we're having pork chops at the policemen's ball this year? I'll bring the applesauce!