Skins' Unofficial 1,000-Pound Mascot Asked to Leave

A Hyattsville man has been ordered to remove Charlotte, his 1,000-pound pig, from his property by Prince George's County officials. 

Floyd Rich had set out to buy a rabbit two years ago, but the farm he visited was sold out of them so he settled on Charlotte the pig, at that time, a few pounds lighter.

"We cleaned her up, scrubbed her up, dressed her up in an Easter dress and had her running around the yard, playing with the grandkids," Rich said. 

Rich taught Charlotte some tricks and walked her around the neighborhood -- she was an instant hit.

"I saw him one day walking the pig down the street and it just amazed me that he told the pig to get up on the sidewalk and the pig got up on the sidewalk!" Rodney Taylor, chief of Prince George's County animal management division said.

Taylor said he knew animal control would eventually get involved -- not only was Charlotte losing her slimmer figure and packing on pounds, but she was also rooting the ground and causing quite a stink in Rich's yard.

"This did go through zoning, and the court system, and the pig was ordered to be removed from the property," Taylor said. 

Rich's neighbors were heartbroken.

"We weren't doing anything to disrespect anybody," neighbor Florence Nicholson said.

When the Washington football team takes on the Chicago Bears Sunday, it will be without the support of Charlotte the pig.

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