The woman accused of animal cruelty for allowing a potbelly pig to gain nearly 100 pounds — causing an infection when a collar became imbedded in its neck — pleaded not guilty Friday to the misdemeanor charge.

Mary Josephine Beesecker, 53, was arraigned Friday more than a month after Judge Mary Leahy denied Beesecker’s attorney’s motion to dismiss the charge because of a lack of probable cause. Beesecker was scheduled to return to court Dec. 15 for a pretrial, and a jury trial was set for Jan. 14.

Michelle Schmitz, 22, of Winona, pets her potbelly pig, Alaina Templeton, as the pig basks in the sun last week on a farm south of Winona. Alaina has lost almost 50 pounds, and her neck has healed after she was allowed to gain nearly 100 pounds and suffered an infection from an imbedded collar while under the care of pet sitter Mary Beesecker in October of 2007. Beesecker was arraigned Friday on charges of animal cruelty. (Photo by Melissa Carlo/Winona Daily News)

The saga of the potbelly pig, called Alaina Templeton, began in February 2007 when her owner, Michelle Schmitz, began looking for a sitter who would watch the pig while she had surgery. Beesecker offered to take the pig to her farm in rural Winona County.

Schmitz said Beesecker refused to turn over the pig after the surgery. Schmitz said she finally found Beesecker’s farm in October 2007 and discovered Alaina had gained close to 100 pounds and had a bad infection on her neck. It took veterinarians hours to surgically remove a collar imbedded in the pig’s neck.

To Beesecker, the pig had appeared malnourished when it arrived on her farm, so she allowed it to gain wait, according to a motion to dismiss filed by Rich McCluer, Beesecker’s attorney. As Alaina gained weight, Beesecker and her husband, George, regularly checked to make sure the collar wasn’t too tight by slipping two fingers between it and her neck, according to the motion.

McCluer wrote that the collar was never too tight and there was no willful or criminal neglect of the animal. The imbedded collar was simply an “unfortunate occurrence.”

Assistant Winona County Attorney Kevin O’Laughlin argued Alaina suffered serious injuries. According to an e-mail from Dr. Randy Snell, the pig’s veterinarian, Alain’s collar was imbedded into her skin half an inch, and 75 percent of her neck was covered by an infection. Snell said he thought that constituted neglect because it would have taken “some time” for the collar to become imbedded.

Leahy denied McCluer’s motion to dismiss, saying photos of Alaina showed a “deep and severe wound.” The collar caused the pig “unnecessary and unjustifiable pain and suffering,” and that was sufficient evidence for the cruelty charge, she ruled.

Alaina has since recovered well from the experience. She’s lost between 40 and 50 pounds — as well as most of her hair because of a natural molting process. Her neck is completely healed, Schmitz said. Still, skin flaps that hang from the pig’s legs and stomach probably weigh as much as 10 pounds, she said.

Nevertheless, Alaina is in good spirits and getting plenty of exercise on Schmitz’s uncle’s farm on County Road 105 south of Winona, her caretaker said. Schmitz used to keep Alaina in her backyard, but a Winona ordinance bans the animals from being kept as pets within city limits.

Schmitz has since asked the city council to consider allowing potbelly pigs in town as pets. The council will discuss the issue after city planners complete a broader report on what types of animals can be kept as pets within city limits. It’s unclear when that report might be finished.

Kevin Behr may be reached at (507) 453-3524 or at kbehr@winonadailynews.com.

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