Escaped pig — now captured — has been named 'Thanos' as county officials hope the owner comes forward
An escaped pig who became a minor social media celebrity in Wake County, North Carolina, has been captured by county authorities.
The pig, dubbed "Thanos" by the Wake County Animal Center, will be put up for auction if his owner does not come forward. (Thanos is the name of a supervillain from the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.)
The Wake County Animal Center captured Thanos on February 28, said the center's website. The pig is presently on "stray hold," which lasts for a minimum of three days.
NORTH CAROLINA POLICE BRING LOOSE PIGS, GOAT HOME AFTER NEIGHBORHOOD ESCAPADE
"If [the animal's] owner does not reclaim [the pig] during the stray hold, the adoption process will be completed. Please note that our adoption process is on a first come-first serve basis," said the Wake County Animal Center.
Wake County is located in central North Carolina — it's home to the capital city of Raleigh.
Thanos the pig was spotted in Wake County, North Carolina, which is home to the state capital of Raleigh. (LOGAN CYRUS/AFP via Getty Images)
A Facebook user from the town of Wendell, North Carolina, first spotted the pig's adventures earlier on Feb. 28.
WILD 'SUPER PIGS' IN CANADA POISED TO WREAK ENVIRONMENTAL HAVOC, SPREAD DISEASE IN US, EXPERT SAYS
The user posted several pictures of Thanos in a Facebook group for residents of the towns of Wendell, Knightdale and Zebulon.
Others followed up with pictures of Thanos the escapee as he made his way across their yards.
The Wake County Animal Center named the pig Thanos, after the Marvel character. (Disney XD via Getty Images)
In the comments section, people made jokes about Thanos' journey and his size.
"You know the housing market is bad but one of The Three Little Pigs gets evicted and it wasn't the wolf's fault. The struggle be real," said one Facebook user.
KEVIN BACON, A MISSING PENNSYLVANIA PIG, RETURNS HOME AFTER ACTOR KEVIN BACON'S PUBLIC PLEA
"For people lamenting the loss of that country, small-town feel, I present this king," said another user.
As Thanos is a farm animal, North Carolina livestock law means he will be treated differently than dogs and cats who have run away from their homes.
Thanos the pig will be auctioned off per state law if he's not claimed by his owner in the next 10 days. (Ulrich Baumgarten via Getty Images)
In North Carolina, the owner of livestock has three days to "redeem" his or her property, says state law.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
"The impounder shall notify the local Sheriff's office and the Sheriff shall post a notice fully describing the livestock and stating the place, date, and hour of sale on the [website] of the Sheriff's office," said the state's website.
"After 10 days from such posting, the impounder shall sell the livestock at public auction."
Fox News Digital reached out to the Wake County Animal Center for additional comments.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
Christine Rousselle is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital.
