SOME FUTURE PETS NOT FAR AWAY 

The world has started to hear about genetic engineering: everything from gene-splicing that will alter genetic defects in humans, to bacteria that will delay frost, to better crops and designer pets.

But before "genetically-altered designer pets" appear you will be buying pets known previously in other world locations but generally unknown in North America. What kind? A couple of new pets, not genetically-altered have been reduced in size by selective breeding. Miniature sheep and the Vietnamese pot-bellied pig! Look for them soon at your favorite pet store or order direct from the breeders.

Records show that tiny sheep existed long ago in the Middle East. They were held in such high esteem that none were ever sold or traded. Only royalty could own them. On rare occasions, one might be given to close personal friends outside the royal families when nothing but a priceless gift would suffice.

Back in 1791 a mysterious flock of such sheep turned up in the U.S. but no records of where they came from ever surfaced. On the owner's death, the family, apparently unaware of their value, had them slaughtered. That was the last ever heard ... until breeders at the Flying W Farms in Piketon, Ohio obtained their flock. Today part of the sales appeal of these unique, cuddly animals is the mystery and romance of their desert heritage. According to breeders Bob and Fredericka Wagner they are the rare pets. They look just like those stuffed, tiny lambs displayed in toy stores at Easter time. They come in white and black with and occasionally apricot!

These sheep are the smallest in the world. Ewes mature at 16 to 18 inches in height with rams reaching 20 inches, about half the height of normal sheep. Normal sheep weigh from 200 to 300 lbs. The minis mature at around 50 pounds. So unusual are they that a registry of them (American Miniature Sheep Registry) is kept in the United States, similar to that for other pedigreed animals. Besides looking and acting like baby lambs, they follow the heels of their master everywhere begging for attention and they get along extremely well with both adults and children.

Because of their diminutive size it doesn't take a big yard to provide all their favorite food -- grass. One acre feeds a flock of ten and the grass will grow back long before they have fully roamed over your "ranch". With an ample water supply, a bit of shade and a shelter from freezing rain, they are fine. They can stand extremes of cold or heat and are not bothered by snow. In northern winters they feed on alfalfa hay. They also provide a gift of soft wool for craft-oriented friends.

A minimal one-shot vaccination covers most required medical treatment.

Price? White rams start at US $1,000, and breeding pairs at US$3,500

Now for real exotica how about a couple of Vietnamese Pot Bellied Pigs? Known for centuries as the "Chinese House Pig", they came to the U.S. via Sweden and Canada in 1986. They come in black or black with white markings. They have a very good reputation ... much friendlier than your average porker. They stand only 12 to 14 inches high, are friendly, smart and stay the size of a small dog. They train just like a cat (won't make a mess where they sleep) and don't bite. These pigs are reported to superior intelligence and get along with other animals. Dogs think they are buddies, perhaps because they wag their straight little tails like a dog.

They'll even sit at the table and eat when and what you do. Your room temperature of 72 degrees F. is just fine with them.

They can be trained easily and love honey-roasted peanuts. They are rarely sick and do not carry any diseases contagious to humans. Your only problem is not to overfeed them. It affects their reproduction. Just like humans.

Want to join the ranks of the rich and famous (king, presidents, actresses and poets already have them) and get a pair for your new condo? Non-breeding boars start at US$1,000, females at US$4,000. Pregnant females bring US$10,000 to $15,000! Maybe you should be in the business?

And, if your landlord says he won't allow such a pet in your apartment, draw his attention to the recent court ruling in Ventura, California in which a judge ruled that a pet horse named Ragtime was indeed a pet and could reside in his owner's residence. The horse only 75-centimetres-high was allowed to stay in the suburban location despite neighbors contentions that it lowered property values and violated health regulations. Ragtime's owner Patty Fairchild claimed her 3-year old pet was no different than a dog. More information: Fredericka and Bob Wagner, Flying W Farms, P.O. Box 845, Piketon, Ohio 45661. Phone: (614) 493-2401 or 493-2595.

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