Jose is a big pig, a juicy 200 pounds-plus.

Under most circumstances he would have been sent off months ago to the market, the butcher shop and the dinner table. That's the fate of most of the piglets that are shipped to La Purisima Mission to stay a few months as part of the historical parks education program.

When they fatten up, the docents sell them and use the money to support park programs.

But Metta Richardson, a Lompoc vegetarian who most days walks the grounds of La Purisima Mission for exercise, wants a different ending for her fat friend's story - and those of his successors.

She voiced her misgivings to park rangers, and Jose, a 10-month-old pink and gray Yorkshire-Hampshire cross, was given at least a temporary reprieve while Richardson tries to find another home for him.

“Typically, they are raised for human consumption,” Park Superintendent Danita Rodriguez pointed out. “Here at the mission we give them a good life. The public likes them and they even got a new homestead. For livestock we treat them pretty well. But the clock is ticking. He should have been gone last fall.”

Richardson, during her frequent excursions to the mission, grew attached to Jose and his brother, Niko (Nikki until

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closer inspection revealed

gender confusion).

She watched as they wallowed in the mud for the amusement of school children and adults alike. When Niko suddenly disappeared last month, Richardson grew alarmed. She inquired and learned that Niko had been sent to market, a practice she deeply disagreed with.

“From walking at the mission I saw them as they grew up,” she said. “I saw the one went off to wherever. You go to the mission for positive things, to be close to nature. It's hard to see an animal who is going to get killed. The mission has been doing this for a long time. My mom says, ‘I don't go anymore because I don't want to get attached to them. They're very endearing.'”

For a visitor, Jose hoists himself to his feet and trots noisily to the front of his spacious, remodeled pen - because he is a gregarious Sir Oink-a-lot or that he has learned that visitors often bring food.

“One couple I know bring all their old bananas,” Richardson said. “He gobbles them up. I've never seen him so animated. He obviously knows they are the banana people. They said he has a sweet tooth.”

Technically, feeding the animals at the mission violates park rules, but with the size of the place and the number of visitors at all hours, the regulation is hard to enforce, rangers say.

And technically, the animals do not belong to the mission, a state park, which provides only space and a worker to feed them. They are property of the Prelado de los Tesoros docents.

“We try to imitate what happened in the earlier period,” said Bill Pass, chairman of the group's Animal Committee. “There's a lot of people who don't eat meat but that's part of our life. That's what happens in 4-H and FFA. The kids understand they have to leave them at the end of their term. We're just following a natural cycle.”

With a budget of $6,000 the docent committee also supplies, and provides feed for 15 sheep, three horses, three goats, two burros, two longhorn steers and six turkeys. But only the pigs, due to size and space constraints, are sold off on a regular basis.

“We are here for the education of the children,” said Marie Schlueter, docent outreach chairman and a member of the Animal Committee. “When it's a big hog, it stays a big hog. It's not very interesting.”

Richardson's opinion differs.

“I disagree with the policy, “ she said. “There are a lot of people against growing animals for food. The number of vegetarians is growing. If the only way to replicate is by killing, there's got to be a better way. It's a great use of state property and they do a great job but the resolution is really sad. They don't do it with the other animals.”

And with regard to the pigs' cuteness quotient, “You can say that about people. Just because a person is older and not cute anymore do you kill them?”

Richardson's plea for time to find a new home for Jose is, by all accounts, is the first in memory. The Animal Committee has agreed to give the pig away, forgoing the customary income which supplements its small budget, if she can find a taker.

But docents and mission administration agree that time is running out. Soon will arrive a new crop of little piglets.

Anyone interested in giving Jose new digs can call the mission at 733-3713.

Jan. 29, 2007