Double take

These 2 animals belong in the same barnyard! Both of them were born in eastern China, spared slaughter by their owners, and learned to walk on their 2 legs. Despite the coincidence, I couldn't find any evidence that either of these stories is a hoax.

Henan Province, January 2010 A pig with only 2 legs was born in a litter of 9 piglets. Owner Wang Xihai began training the piglet to walk within a few days by lifting it up by its tail. A month later, the pig was walking on its own, balancing its body above its legs (see photos). Wang says, "My wife asked me to dump it but I refused as it's a life. I thought I should give it a chance to survive and unexpectedly it survived healthy. I trained her for a while each day. After 30 days she can now walk upside down quite well. She proved to us that no matter what form life is it should continue to live on. I won't sell it no matter how much the offer is." Since the birth, Wang's home has been besieged by visitors, who call the pig "Zhu Jianqiang," which means strong-willed.

Shandong Province, July 2010 A 2-legged lamb was born with a single normal litter-mate. Owner Cui Jinxiu could not bring herself to euthanize the lamb, which was struggling so hard to survive (see photos). Cui says, "He was so determined to live he pulled himself up onto his own two feet and started drinking his mother's milk. I couldn't let him die. He may only have two legs but he gets around very quickly and is pretty steady on his feet. He follows me everywhere and I haven't got the heart to slaughter him. He has such a friendly personality and I don't think he even realizes he's disabled."

Veterinarians worry that the animals' legs will fail to support them as they grow. The lamb may reach 125lbs and the pig already weighs in at 110lbs.