WICKER PARK — There's a pig in Wicker Park that is spreading joy around the 'hood — on the streets, in local shops and on social media.
So be on the lookout for Porkchop, a micro pig described on Instagram as "just a small pig in the big city of Chicago."
"Had a visit from a special shopper!" posted Nicole Northway on One Strange Bird's Facebook Page.
Northway's shop at 2124 W. Division St. in Wicker Park is not the only Division Street spot Porkchop frequents.
In August, the 20-month-old pig popped by brunch at The Fifty/50 and a Hawaiian-themed pub crawl at FatPour Tap Works, where he wore a lei and gave away a smooch.
"Aww, man, I want a Porkchop encounter!" one Instagram user commented on a photo of Porkchop by Andrew Miller.
"If you are in Wicker Park enough, you are bound to see him!" Miller wrote back.
Alisa Hauser says don't make any jokes about cooking Porkchop:
Indeed, Porkchop, who lives near Division Street with his owner Caitlyn Isham, gets around the neighborhood, usually in a stroller to "protect him from crowds," Isham said.
Isham chronicles Porkchop's adventures on Instagram, where she broke up her last name into two words for her pet's handle, @Porkchop_Is_ham.
"He makes me so happy, it's nice to see him make other people happy too. They smile and it's infectious," said Isham, a 32-year-old print sales executive who bought Porkchop from a breeder in Florida last September.
The enthusiasm people have for Porkchop prompted Isham to sign Porkchop up for training with an animal behavior specialist, Your Dog's Guru.
Eventually, Isham said she would like to take Porkchop to local nursing homes so he can spread more joy as a therapy pig.
"He is great with people and hypoallergenic," Isham said.
Porkchop is litter box trained and though he has a crate to sleep in, Isham put a ramp going up to her bed so the pig can sleep with her.
"They are good house pets and super smart," Ishby said of the Mico/Juliana breed mix, which gets along with her cat and a roommate's dog.
Porkchop, who currently weighs around 25 pounds and is not expected to grow much bigger, has a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years, Isham said.
And when Isham's on the road for business, she has Porkchop on the mind.
"I miss him so much; they keep sending me pics," Isham, who was in New York Tuesday, said of her parents, who take care of Porkchop at their home in Deerfield when Isham travels.
"Both my parents love him. They spoil him with treats and refer to him as their grandpig," Isham said.
As for the reactions to Porkchop from men she dates, Isham said, "Some guys think it's cool, some are apathetic. What I don't like is when they say they are going to cook him. I tell them would you eat your child?"
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