Thinking about a pet pig? You can keep one in the UK, but you must follow rules, register with the government, and meet their welfare needs.
To get a pet pig legally, you must register as a pig keeper, obtain any required licences for walking and movements, and ensure the pig is properly identified and housed.
This guide explains the paperwork you need, how to apply for a walking licence, what ID the pig requires, and what proper care and housing involve.
You’ll also see where to buy or adopt a pig and what to check before bringing one home, helping you decide if a pig fits your life and space.
Legal Requirements for Getting a Pet Pig
Follow specific rules before bringing a pig home. These rules include registering the land, signing up as a pig keeper, and identifying the animal for traceability and disease control.
County Parish Holding (CPH) Number
You need a County Parish Holding (CPH) number for any land or buildings where you will keep a pig. Apply to the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).
The CPH is tied to the physical holding, not just your name.
Update your CPH details with the RPA if you move pigs, change where you keep them, or stop keeping pigs. Officials may check your records, so keep contact details current.
Application guidance and forms are available on the RPA pages for registering land used to keep livestock.
A valid CPH helps with traceability during disease outbreaks. If you share land with others, agree in writing who is responsible for registering and reporting movements.
Registering as a Pig Keeper
You must register as a pig keeper with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). Registration gives you a herd mark and allows APHA to track pig locations and movements to control disease risks.
Notify APHA if your address, phone number, or the location where you keep pigs changes.
Report if you acquire more pigs, change pig species, or stop keeping pigs. Use APHA systems, such as eAML2, to report movements unless you are walking a pig under a specific licence.
Keep a holding register of all movements and take an annual inventory. Retain records for three years after you stop keeping pigs and present them to RPA or APHA officers if requested.
Obtaining a Herd Mark
The herd mark serves as your official identifier for each pig you move off your premises. Use it on ear tags, tattoos, or slap marks so each pig can be traced back to your holding.
Apply for the herd mark through APHA when you register as a pig keeper.
Add the herd mark to any pig before moving it to a vet, market, or another holding. If you plan to walk your pig, the herd mark still applies when the pig leaves your property under licence.
Maintain clear identification records and attach the correct tag type. If tags fail or are lost, replace them promptly and update APHA records to avoid penalties.
For more on keeping a pet pig and the rules you must follow, see the government guidance on keeping a pet pig or ‘micropig’ (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/keeping-a-pet-pig-or-micropig).
Licences and Movement Regulations
You must carry the right paperwork whenever your pig leaves the place where you keep it. This includes licences for moving or walking, and records you must file and keep so authorities can trace animals quickly.
Getting a Movement Licence
For most planned moves off your holding, apply for an Animal Movement Licence through the electronic Animal Movement Licensing service (eAML2/AML2). The current keeper usually arranges the move.
The movement licence states the dates of travel, the destination holding, and any standstill rules that apply after arrival.
Keep a copy with the pig during transport and store the movement document for three years. If you move a pig to a new home or to a vet, follow the licence conditions exactly.
Trading Standards or Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) officers may check your paperwork. Failing to have a movement licence when required can lead to fines and movement restrictions.
Walking Licence for Pet Pigs
If you want to walk your pet pig off your premises, apply for a walking licence from APHA or your local animal health office. Submit a clear map of the route and explain start and end points.
Officials may refuse routes that pass close to a pig farm, livestock market, or areas that pose a disease risk.
Carry the walking licence whenever you walk the pig and renew it each year. The licence will set conditions such as biosecurity steps, distance limits, and times you may walk the pig.
If a route changes, inform the issuing office and get approval for the new route before walking.
Reporting and Recording Pig Movements
Record every movement on your holding using the eAML2 service and keep a holding register. The register should list dates, movement type, where the pig came from or went to, and identification (ear tag, tattoo, or slap mark).
Take an annual inventory entry in your holding register showing the number of pigs on the premises that day and normally kept there.
Keep records for three years after you stop keeping pigs. Standstill rules apply after certain movements, so check the movement licence and pig movement rules before any transfer to avoid breaking the law.
Identification and Traceability
Identify any pig you move off your premises and keep accurate records so authorities can trace animals during disease outbreaks. Use legal IDs, keep a holding register, and record movements tied to your CPH number.
Ear Tagging, Tattoos, and Marking
Apply an official herd mark before your pig leaves your holding. Use an ear tag, tattoo, or slap mark that shows your herd mark and individual number.
Ear tags are the most common; attach them so they stay readable and replace any lost tag within the required time frame.
Tattoos work well for smaller pigs; ensure the ink and numbers match APHA records. Slap marks are temporary and allowed only in limited situations, so check rules before using one.
If you plan to walk, vet, or sell the pig, apply the ID beforehand. Keep photos of the ID and note the date applied.
If you change the pig’s keeper details or address, update APHA so the herd mark links to the correct person.
Keeping Identification Records
Keep a holding register that lists each pig by its ID, date of birth or arrival, sex, and movements on and off your premises. Record every movement using eAML2 when the pig leaves or arrives, except short walks covered by a walking licence.
Store records digitally or on paper, but keep them readable and safe for at least three years after you stop keeping pigs.
Include the pig’s herd mark, any temporary marks, and the destination or origin address for every movement. If a tag is lost or replaced, log the change and explain why.
Keep contact details for your vet and APHA helpline with the register.
Annual Inventory and Registers
Once a year, make an inventory entry in your holding register showing the number of pigs present on a chosen day and the normal number you usually keep. Use your County Parish Holding (CPH) number on these records so they link to the correct location.
The inventory helps APHA and RPA monitor traceability and animal health.
Choose a consistent date each year or note why you picked a different date. Keep the annual inventory with movement records and retain all documents for three years.
If inspectors visit, show the register and the CPH number to prove your pigs are identified and traceable.
Care, Welfare, and Housing of Pet Pigs
Pigs need safe shelter, a proper diet, regular health checks, and steps to prevent disease spread. You must meet legal rules about identification, movement, and what you can feed them.
Space and Shelter Requirements
Give each pig room to move, root, and rest. For outdoor pigs, provide a dry, elevated sleeping area with bedding like straw and a windproof shelter that stays dry in rain.
If you keep a micropig or indoor pig, set aside a calm indoor area with a soft bed and access to an outdoor run for exercise.
Fence all outdoor areas with strong, pig-proof fencing at least 1.2 m high for smaller pigs and higher for larger breeds. Include shade in summer and a heated or well-insulated shelter in winter.
Keep the floor clean and provide separate areas for sleeping and toileting to reduce stress and disease.
You must register land you use and get a county parish holding (CPH) number if you keep a pig on your property. Tag or tattoo pigs before moving them and keep movement records as required by law.
Diet and Feeding Restrictions
Feed balanced commercial pig feed to meet protein, mineral, and vitamin needs. Offer fresh water at all times.
Avoid kitchen or catering waste; you cannot feed pigs catering waste or used cooking oil from domestic or commercial kitchens unless it meets strict official rules.
Do not feed raw meat or animal by-products that are banned. You can feed certain milk products in limited cases and some processed ingredients where allowed.
Store feed separately from any material unsafe for pigs and follow local council procedures if buying from a mixed-use premises.
When unsure about an item, contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for guidance. Monitor body condition regularly and adjust portions as the pig grows, during pregnancy, or as activity levels change.
Keep treats limited to avoid obesity and digestive upset.
Health Checks and Routine Care
Check your pig daily for appetite, breathing, skin condition, eyes, and mobility. Trim hooves every few months to prevent lameness.
Brush and clean skin folds for breeds prone to skin problems. Watch for coughing, nasal discharge, sudden lethargy, or loss of appetite, as these can be signs of contagious disease.
Register as a pig keeper and keep records of vaccinations, vet visits, treatments, and movements. Arrange regular veterinary checks and have a plan for emergency care.
If a pig dies at your premises, follow legal rules for safe disposal of animal by-products and contact authorities if needed.
Keep identification (ear tag, tattoo, or slap mark) up to date and carry a walking licence if you plan to walk your pig away from home. Maintain annual inventory records in your holding register.
Preventing Disease Outbreaks
Follow strict biosecurity measures by limiting visitors. Clean boots and equipment, and disinfect vehicles and feed storage areas.
Isolate new or returning animals for at least two weeks. Monitor them for signs of illness.
Report notifiable and contagious diseases promptly to APHA.
Avoid walking near livestock markets or pig farms unless your pig-walking licence approves your route. Never feed pigs prohibited animal by-products or catering waste, as these can introduce diseases like African swine fever.
Keep detailed movement records in eAML2 when you move pigs between premises, unless your licence covers the walk.
Create a written plan for containment, waste disposal, and notification steps in case of a suspected disease outbreak such as foot-and-mouth. Follow local guidance for disposing of carcasses and contaminated bedding to prevent spread.
Buying, Adopting, and Sourcing a Pet Pig
Choose between different pig types. Find pigs from breeders, rescues, or livestock markets, and check legal and practical needs like space, vet care, and zoning.
Choosing the Right Breed
Decide if you want a true small breed or a pig that will grow large. “Micro” or “mini” labels are not regulated; ask breeders for the parents’ weights and request photos of the parents at maturity.
Common choices include Kunekune, which are gentle and often smaller, and commercial breeds that can get much bigger. Match breed traits to your home.
Some breeds need more grazing and outdoor space, while others adapt well to mixed indoor/outdoor life. If you want a calm, companion pig, look for pigs socialised with people from a young age.
Ask for health records, vaccinations, and whether the pig is neutered.
Where to Get a Pet Pig
You can get pigs from specialist breeders, local pig farms, livestock markets, or rescue groups. Breeders provide predictable genetics and records; ask for references and visit the site to see conditions.
A pig farm may sell pet-friendly offspring, but check how they handle early socialisation. Rescue organisations often rehome pigs and list available animals online.
Adopting helps a pig in need and can be cheaper. Livestock markets can offer low prices, but pigs there may be stressed and need close health checks.
For UK rescues, search trustworthy groups and ask for vet checks before transport.
Important Considerations Before Buying
Check local rules, as many UK councils and housing associations limit pigs or classify them as livestock. Contact your council and review planning rules for keeping animals.
You also need a pig-savvy vet because not all small-animal vets treat pigs. Plan housing and fencing to prevent rooting escapes and protect pigs from predators.
Budget for feed, worming, vaccinations, farrier or hoof care, and potential neutering. Consider the lifetime commitment, as many pigs live 12–20 years.
Pigs do best with company or regular human interaction, so think about their social needs.
