Real piggy bank featured in Vancouver and Western Living raises a bit of a stink

A $4,000 piggy bank, made from a real piglet and featured in the gift guides of the current issues of Vancouver and Western Living magazines (Transcontinental Media) has some animal rights activists fuming; their criticisms range from "insensitive and callous" to "disgusting". According to a story carried by the Postmedia news service, the online company that markets the bank, thecheeky.com, says the reaction is overblown.

"We've had a few emails today saying some not very nice things to us," said Ryan McCormick, one of two entrepreneurs behind the online shop selling the $4,000 money container. "Some death threats and many calling us disgusting pigs."

When someone buys a bank, says Ryan McCormick, one of two partners in the shop, they order one of the piglets through a taxidermist. It can take up to 12 months to be delivered from the time it is ordered. So far, no banks have been sold/bought, but doubtless the furor will cause some increased interest.

"This is such an insensitive, callous thing to be promoting this for the holiday season," said Jenelle Petrinchuck, a spokeswoman for the Winnipeg Humane Society, which has asked the sellers to remove the item. The group has also created an online campaign urging the public to send emails and letters demanding the same.

"Everybody we've shown it to has been disgusted by it," added Petrinchuck. "There's no reason to be charging $4,000 for that. There's no reason to be charging anything."