In Sacramento, California, Mina Alali shares her home with a menagerie of animals: a dog, two chicks, a pigeon, a bearded dragon, three rats, two rescue cows, and a very special pig named Merlin.
The Beginning of a Pig Obsession
Mina had long harboured a fascination with pigs. Visiting animal sanctuaries, she felt an emotional connection to them, recognising their intelligence. She vowed that one day she would have a pig of her own.
In March 2020, she adopted Merlin, a mini Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, when he was just two and a half months old. “He was as cute as a button,” she recalls. Merlin is affectionate but has a sassy streak. If he does not get his way, he unplugs devices, slams doors, and wears a propeller cap on walks. “It’s like having an 180lb toddler,” Mina laughs.
Life in an Apartment with a Pig
Living in an apartment with Merlin was challenging. His deafening squeals of frustration or hunger were so loud that Mina is surprised no noise complaints were filed. But his intelligence was immediately apparent. Pigs are considered among the smartest animals, and Merlin learned to spin, shake, and high-five within ten minutes—as long as treats are involved. His favourite foods are fruits: apples, watermelons, and especially bananas.
Communication Through Buttons
Merlin communicates using 25 individual buttons on the floor, which play recordings of Mina’s voice. He presses them to say “yes,” “no,” or request attention. For example, he presses “Mommy” when he needs her, “vegetable please” for a treat, and “Al Capone” to summon their pet pigeon to ride on his back. Mina started filming his “talking” and now Merlin has millions of fans worldwide. He was awarded a Guinness World Record for the most Instagram followers for a pig, with 1.1 million at the time (now 1.2 million).
A Match Made in Pig Heaven
Merlin even helped Mina find love. Her fiancé first saw a video of Merlin and contacted her, saying, “I want to marry you.” A year later, they were engaged. Mina credits much of her happiness to Merlin and her other animals. “It’s a beautiful, chaotic life,” she says.
Some people ask if she gets annoyed with Merlin constantly pressing his buttons. Mina believes that would be cruel. “I think of them as his voice box,” she explains. Merlin has taught her that giving animals time, love, and understanding brings tenfold love in return.
As told to George Francis Lee
