Slatington Borough Council has adopted two ordinances about potbellied pigs in the borough.

One ordinance allows for potbellied pigs as household pets.

The other ordinance was modified to allow for “the keeping or harboring of potbellied pigs and to establish a permit system for owners or keepers to register pigs in the borough.”

The issue came to council’s attention after a potbellied pig got loose in August in the borough and was shot by police.

The original ordinance stated that residents are not allowed to own an animal “not normally purchased in a retail pet store,” said borough solicitor Thomas H. Dinkelacker said at the time.

“The ordinance that deals with animals is consistent with the zoning ordinance,” he said.

“The little I know of the events, part of the problem is people didn’t know who the pig belonged to. It might be reasonable to require a permit, if there is an issue the owner could be notified. We license dogs on a county level but we’d have a local registration for police to have the information,” he said.

“Potbellied pigs are not raised to eat. They’re pets,” said councilman Joseph Wechsler.