Pig was found running loose through Hollywood; Oscar-nominated songwriter now gives him a 7-acre home

A piglet that went viral after being spotted running through the streets of West Hollywood has found a new home with Oscar-nominated songwriter Diane Warren, who plans to give the animal a safe place to live at a seven-acre sanctuary in Malibu.

The pig, named Wilbur after the beloved character in Charlotte’s Web, was rescued after a video of him speeding through West Hollywood caught widespread attention online. Warren saw news footage of the runaway pig and immediately wanted to help.

Marcia Zwilling, managing director of the Diane Warren Foundation, placed the winning bid for Wilbur at a silent auction organized by the West LA Animal Shelter after several local residents expressed interest in adopting him.


“Diane saw the news clips and saw the little pig running in West Hollywood, and she just called me and said, ‘Please get the pig, get the pig! Get the pig. Save the pig,’” Zwilling said.

Warren met Wilbur for the first time on Wednesday, August 26, at the West LA Animal Shelter.

“Oh my God. You’re so cute. Look, you’re gonna have a really good home. What are you doing running around Hollywood like that?” Warren said when she met the pig.

The story began when Jamaal Harrison filmed Wilbur running through the streets of West Hollywood. In the video, Harrison could be heard shouting, “There’s a pig in West Hollywood!” as he followed the animal.

The unusual sight quickly attracted attention online, turning the runaway pig into a viral sensation.

Wilbur's new home in Malibu

Wilbur will now move to a seven-acre animal sanctuary in Malibu, where he will have considerably more space than the city streets where he was found.

The sanctuary provides a home for rescued animals and will give Wilbur a safe environment with ongoing care. However, the pig may eventually need a new name because Warren already has another pet named Wilbur.

Warren's decision to rescue the pig is also consistent with her history of helping animals in distress.

In 2021, she intervened after a cow escaped from a slaughterhouse in Southern California. After seeing the animal on the news, Warren contacted the city of Pico Rivera and arranged for the cow to be sent to Farm Sanctuary.

At the time, Warren said she was particularly affected by the animal's struggle as wranglers attempted to capture it.

“This isn’t my first cow I’ve saved. But this feels like a special cow. Because this was that one. So it’s almost like she represents all cows