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| Pearl: Mystery surrounds disappearance of Beijing's famous pig | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| She could not have imagined she would be famous one day. But after photos of her went viral on the internet she is now missing, feared pig-napped. | She could not have imagined she would be famous one day. But after photos of her went viral on the internet she is now missing, feared pig-napped. |
| It all started with Pearl's daily stroll last week, when she was snuffling around the bushes near China's politically-sensitive Tiananmen Square, in the heart of the capital. | It all started with Pearl's daily stroll last week, when she was snuffling around the bushes near China's politically-sensitive Tiananmen Square, in the heart of the capital. |
| Tourists stopped what they were doing to marvel at Pearl's cute pink face, and after a little while a few white-gloved policemen turned up to keep the curly-tailed visitor out of trouble. | Tourists stopped what they were doing to marvel at Pearl's cute pink face, and after a little while a few white-gloved policemen turned up to keep the curly-tailed visitor out of trouble. |
| They did not interfere with Pearl's morning meanderings, it appears; just escorted her wherever she went. | They did not interfere with Pearl's morning meanderings, it appears; just escorted her wherever she went. |
| Zeng Zhi, the photographer who took the photos of Pearl that lit up the internet, just happened to be visiting the square with his child. | Zeng Zhi, the photographer who took the photos of Pearl that lit up the internet, just happened to be visiting the square with his child. |
| The police told tourists not to get too close, he told us. | The police told tourists not to get too close, he told us. |
| They said: "If you startle the pig and cause it to run to the Square, that'll be a mess!" | They said: "If you startle the pig and cause it to run to the Square, that'll be a mess!" |
| Now Pearl has made her name online, but she has not been seen since Tuesday morning. | Now Pearl has made her name online, but she has not been seen since Tuesday morning. |
| "Pearl is no trouble maker. She loves the sunshine and the attention from the people," said Ms He, Pearl's owner. | "Pearl is no trouble maker. She loves the sunshine and the attention from the people," said Ms He, Pearl's owner. |
| "That's why she picked the lawns near the Square to hang out." | "That's why she picked the lawns near the Square to hang out." |
| Ms He says Pearl went out most days for an unattended walk in the neighbourhood, but, being smarter than the average pig, she always returned within half an hour. | Ms He says Pearl went out most days for an unattended walk in the neighbourhood, but, being smarter than the average pig, she always returned within half an hour. |
| Now she is worried that someone may have hurt or even eaten her. | Now she is worried that someone may have hurt or even eaten her. |
| "I wouldn't mind giving Pearl to others if they promise to be nice to her. But now I just want her back," she said. | "I wouldn't mind giving Pearl to others if they promise to be nice to her. But now I just want her back," she said. |