There isn't a Dalmatian or even a dog to keep firefighters company at Brooklyn's Engine 239 firehouse. Instead, there's a 3-month-old piglet keeping watch over New York's finest.
Penny the pig was adopted by FDNY firefighter Darren Harris, and his coworkers at the Park Slope firehouse took to her quickly.
"We're chasing her around, or we're peddling with her, petting her," Harris told Brooklyn News 12.
When Engine 239 goes out on a call, Penny keeps an eye on the firehouse. But when they get back, they're always excited to see their new friend.
"She's definitely a breath of fresh air when we come back," Harris said.
Penny has also become something of a celebrity in Park Slope, as passersby often stop in to pet Penny at the firehouse.
Right now, Penny weighs about 9 pounds. But she has quite the appetite, and Harris expects her to be about 50 pounds by December.
While Penny has put a bit of a dent in the firehouse's food budget, Harris says his fellow firefighters don't mind — but having her around has brought about some changes.
"They loved it. They were excited too. No backlash. We changed our diet — no more pork," Harris said.
