PETUNIA THE POT-BELLIED TALK OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD

THE FIRST THING ONE MIGHT NOTICE about Petunia the pig, as she snoozes the day away on the living room sofa, is that she doesn’t stink. That’s one of the biggest misconceptions about the messy farm animal-turned adorable pet.

“They don’t have sweat glands,” says her owner, Weezie Margolis. “[On farms] they roll around in the mud to keep cool.”

Margolis never has been much of a cat or dog person. Plus, her husband is allergic to both.

“So, I got a pig instead,” she says.

And, a star was born.

On a typical afternoon walk down Meadow Road, drivers slow down and make U-turns to get another glimpse of the Vietnamese teacup potbelly strutting her stuff. Some people even step out and snap photos with her.

“It’s still somewhat of a novelty,” Margolis says.

Petunia was just 1 pound, 11 ounces when Margolis brought her home. Today, she’s 4 years old and 100 pounds. She eats a steady diet of salads and inhales pecans during the fall (do not get between Petunia and her nuts).

Since pigs are some of the smartest animals on the planet, raising one is no easy task.

“It’s like having a 3-year-old in the house,” Margolis says.

She has defied baby gates and opened kitchen cabinets. If someone’s purse is within reach, she holds it down with one hoof and unzips it with her snout to gobble up whatever treats lie inside.

But it’s worth all the trouble, Margolis says.

“They say a dog is a man’s best friend. I think a pig is very much the same.”