Woman gives up pork after being attacked by pig in her own yard

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (NBC NEWS) - Cassandra Frank was at home Monday morning when her boyfriend told her he thought he saw a pig on the lawn.

When Frank went outside she was stunned. An enormous sow was staring her down.

"This one was pretty large," Frank said. "I guess it wanted to be in charge of somebody."

The 200-pound pig charged her. Frank ran across the yard, but the sow caught up with her.

The animal used its tusks, striking her in the back of the leg. After awhile, the pig ran off.

Frank, who got a cut and bruises during the attack, called 911, worried that the animal would attack children in her neighborhood.

St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue Lt. Dan Robinson along with Pinellas County Animal Control officers, found the pig in a nearby yard.

It was still ornery as the officers approached.

"At one point during the capture, the hog had me running for cover up a six-foot wooden fence," Robinson said. "They'll shred you up if you're not careful."

Robinson said this was the first time in his 15-year career that he's responded to a wild pig call.

Frank said her friends gave her a some grief today for running from the pig and seeing authorities and reporters at her home.

"What was going through my mind was 'get the hell away from it'," she said. "I've never seen a pig that big."

Animal control officers were able to lasso the sow, which suffered a broken leg during its capture. It was later euthanized.

Frank said she was saddened when she learned of the sow's death, although she expects to have a phobia of pigs from now on.

"I don't want to be anywhere around pork," she said.