Mini Pigs are Mexico's New Favourite Pets

Look closer: this is no poodle or chihuahua -- it's a mini-pig, the new pet craze in Mexico city, where growing numbers are opting for porcine companions over canines.

At first glance they might seem like small pudgy dogs, but they are really mini pigs being walked, the latest pet fashion and status symbol in the capital. (AFP Photo)

Mini-pigs have been adopted as pets in other parts of the world, but they are a new sight in Latin America and Mexico. They are selling for as much as $1,800. (AFP Photo)
Seeing pigs as pets comes as a surprise in a country better known for its love affair with pigs as comestibles -- as pork rinds (chicharron) or tacos filled with spit-roasted meat. (AFP Photo)
A pig is seen at a park in Mexico City. (AFP Photo)