One Little Piggy Lawyers Up, Fights Big Bad Wolf

Many different clients walk through the Law Office doors of Kenneth Padowitz P.A. but none quite like Spoinky the Pig. Spoinky is a member of a Hollywood Florida family for 24 years. He is a pot bellied pig.  His owner adopted him when he was 2 months old. When his owner moved back in to her mothers home when Spoinky was three, the pig grew up as a member of the family. The Mom was a retired registered nurse at Memorial Hospital. She knows a little about health care.

Being a very old pig, Spoinky needed routine veterinarian care. Recently, when his normal Vet went on vacation, a new mobile Vet was called in for a house call.

This is when things went sideways real fast. The Vetanarian showed up and immediately pressured the family to euthanize Spoinky without ever getting the detailed health history of their family member. When the family resisted, he called the police.

When Spoinky was 1 year old he developed paralysis in his back legs caused by mycoplasma arthritis. He could not walk for 4 months but through treatment and rehabilitative exercise he recovered and regained the ability to walk again. From that point on, his joints were never the same.

Spoinky was a fighter all his life despite having his joints affected by arthritis. The first doctor that treated him was a Doctor in Pembroke Pines as well as a radiologist. Despite his arthritis, Spoinky walked all over the yard and pushed a ball with treats inside with his nose. The Family always did many exercises with him to encourage him to walk as much as possible. Other than arthritis, Spoinky has always been very healthy. He only needed checkups and his hooves and tusks trimmed by several different veterinarians.

Spoinky has been on monthly injections of Adequan for pain and inflammation and Deramax as needed for pain for about 12 years. Adequan injections improved his mobility for many years. Ever since Spoinky was small, he has taken daily supplements for arthritis, immunity, and general health. Spoinky’s health, happiness, and well-being have always been a priority for the family. When Spoinky was small, he would play with water and spill it instead of drinking it, so the family started giving him water from the bottle with some 100% apple juice added to help him drink. To this day, he drinks 9 bottles daily. Spoinky drinks three times a day and eats twice a day. He eats lettuce, pig pellets, fruits and vegetables, as well as his daily supplements. Each day Spoinky receives a lot of love and attention from his family as well as massages, music therapy, and Reiki treatments. Spoinky is very curious, alert and interactive. Since Spoinky is calmer now, the family trims his hooves themselves with a Dremel tool. He is washed regularly with baby shampoo.

The Mobile Vet heard none of it. He called the police on the clients that had called him for help. The ultimate betrayal. The Hollywood Police came with a Hollywood code enforcement officer. The situation looked dire when the family understood that they were told their beloved Spoinky the Pig would have to be euthanized within days. With the shadow of the executioner hanging over their home, they called Trial Attorney Ken Padowitz for help.

The Family explained the important background information on Spoinky, to Attorney Ken Padowitz that the Mobile Vet refused to hear. For the last year and a half Spoinky has been unable to walk. However, despite his handicap, he has remained happy, alert, interactive, and enjoys his food and drink. He loves attention and affection. He loves music and singing. The family changes his position regularly and he is propped up against heavy totes and pillows so he can eat and drink in a good position. He gets aloe cream, antibiotic ointments, and liquid bandages to avoid pressure sores and redness. Spoinky urinates and defecates normally. Any time he needs veterinary treatment, they call the Doctor, who prescribes his pain medications and checks his stool for parasites. Spoinky has interacted with iguanas, basilisks, parrots, and neighbors’ cats. Despite his handicap, Spoinky enjoys his life and has a good quality of life.  Spoinky deserves to live out his oldest years in peace. If he was in terrible condition, the family explained they did not oppose euthanasia, but that time is not now. Even when Spoinky was much younger, he slept for most of the day, as most pigs do. Spoinky used to sleep in a secure calf hut filled with hay for most of his life, but now, since he cannot walk, he sleeps on soft pillows and is covered with blankets.  He is always covered with large umbrellas.

Attorney Ken Padowitz decided to fight for Spoinky and the right of his family to determine when was the time for his final days, not the Government.

After many days of discussions with Hollywood police and code enforcement, we all came to find a way forward. Spoinky the Pig received a complete Physical and the results were turned over to law enforcement. A very fair and reasonable Detective agreed that no criminal charges would be brought. Hollywood Code enforcement was also very fair and accommodating. Spoinky would get his reprieve and live another day!  Spoinky at 24, may be one of the longest living pigs anywhere. The Family now has the decision to allow their beloved Spoinky to live out his final days in the love and attention they have showered on him his whole life.