As the lives of pigs go, Cutie Patooti the four-year-old Vietnamese pot-bellied pig has a pretty great one.
He lives on the shores of Whitewater Lake in Azilda with his eight-year-old piggie companion, Charlotte, and his humans, Mercedez Quinlan and Gerry Labelle.
Patooti, who's rather tall and thin for his species, enjoys going for short dips in the lake, eating the crabapples from a neighbour's tree and occasionally even resting his bones on his humans' couch.
Now Patooti is the star of his own children's book, “The Diary of Patooti the Pig,” written by Quinlan and Labelle. The couple plan to eventually write a series of six books about the pig.
The book, which features Patooti's adventures, is illustrated with watercolours by 17-year-old local artist Severin Gravelle.
Quinlan, who has kept companion pigs for more than 20 years, said Patooti has a great personality.
“He's a good-natured piggie,” she said. “We have Charlotte, our other piggie, who's four years older. Charlotte often tries to bully Patooti, and Patooti has no reaction. He is the most gentle pig.”
Quinlan said she's in the process of finalizing the book's publication with Violet Hour Press, and said she hopes it will be available for sale on Amazon later this summer.
It will also be sold at local outlets such as the Art Gallery of Sudbury and at Old Rock Roastery on Minto.
The book's official release will take place at the Rotary Club of Sudbury's Dine with the Author event, set for Oct. 13.
Watch Patooti the pig's Facebook page and website to learn about the book's release date when the information is available.
