A California woman has gone viral on TikTok after posting a video of her pet pig named Merlin.
Mina Alali bought a miniature pig last year after saying she had wanted one all her life. The young woman said it was a dream come true, according to Fox News.
The 25-year-old from San Jose said she bought her pet from a breeder and it was love at first sight.
Alali said training Merlin to be calm was a challenge at first, noting that she had to teach him not to scream when someone hugged him.
Over time, however, Merlin grew closer to his new owner.
Merlin is very affectionate. He loves cuddles, said Alali, who explains that the pig even sleeps next to him in his bed.
Alali takes her pet pig everywhere with her; in the car, on walks, for nights out with friends, and even at Starbucks.
Alali’s account, where she mostly posts videos with her pig, has accumulated 1.7 million followers.
Merlin has learned to press electronic buttons that say “out”, “eat” and “ice cream” to better communicate with his owner. It can also perform tricks such as high-fives or “sit” and “stay”, similar to a trained dog.