A pet piglet has taken police on a frantic chase through a small Californian town, with body-camera footage of the police pursuit going viral after being posted on social media.
Local police shared video of the porcine evading capture on Facebook and the footage later appeared on national US broadcasters before making international headlines.
Several bystanders called Sebastopol's local police department last week to report the loose animal, which had been "running in and out of the roadway".
But wrangling the piglet proved to be a difficult task for responding officers, who described it as "very fast and strong for an animal of its size".
"Officers, along with bystanders, helped chase the little pig multiple city blocks until it was finally cornered in a side yard," the department wrote on social media.
The scramble ended sometime later when a local man, who was referred to as Michael W, made the difficult catch.
"The pig, later identified as 'Pickles' was reunited with his mother at the scene.
"Officers Whitehall and Thomas used discretion and elected *not* to charge 'Pickles' with 148(a)(1) PC — (Resisting a peace officer).
"Instead, we felt it was beneficial to just admonish 'Pickles' for running from officers!"
