Pigs sipping White Claw and cows in the kitchen: should we be worried about offbeat pets going TikTok viral?

Non-traditional pets get millions of online views. But the rising trend poses questions about animal welfare

In a quiet neighborhood in California’s capital, residents have gotten used to the screaming temper tantrums of a two-year-old. “No, Merlin!” they’ll hear his mother shout whenever he’s had enough of his favorite snack. “No more ice cubes!”

“We haven’t had any complaints from the neighbors yet,” says Mia Alali, the mother in question. That might be because Merlin is just about the cutest two-year-old in California. He also happens to be a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig.