Photo by Danny Fulgencio

Vegan Vincelee Stevens keeps a 175-pound pig in her closet.

It’s where Goldie prefers to sleep, nestled in a puppy bed from Restoration Hardware. During the day, Goldie comes and goes through the dog door, basking in the sun and entertaining neighbors on Midbury Drive. She has regular visitors and is housebroken. She cools off in a pink kiddie pool full of fresh water and enjoys having her belly rubbed.

“You cannot lift her up,” Stevens says. “Pigs do not like to leave the ground. If we lift her up, you’ve never heard such screams.”

Goldie’s favorite food is overripe fruit and veggies, including carrots, tomatoes and strawberries. “We can get her to do anything for strawberries.” Neighbors donate produce in Goldie’s front-yard Yeti. The pig’s palate is accustomed to variety.

Stevens and her 9-year-old son are currently coaxing Goldie to wear a harness for neighborhood strolls.

“She has so much personality and is easy,” Stevens says. “When she gets bored, that is not good. A bored pig is terrible. She’ll root and destroy things. I try to talk to Goldie and say, ‘Don’t spoil the yard.’”