STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - In so many ways, this is a quintessential Staten Island story.

Cristy Matteo of Great Kills has had a pet pig for five years. The pig's name is Wilbur. Anybody familiar with the classic "Charlotte's Web" will know where the name comes from.

By all appearances, Wilbur's a good boy. He's clean. He's house-trained. He uses the doggy door to go outside and do his business. He causes no trouble. Like a lot of our pets, he's part of the family. Wilbur's been a comfort to Cristy's father in his battle against cancer.

So, no problem, right?

Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Because somebody dropped a dime on Wilbur, calling 311 and complaining about the pig. How Staten Island is that, some busybody sticking their nose in someone else's business, calling the city to complain?

OK. Owning a pig in the city is illegal. So this anti-pig person who ratted Wilbur out does have a leg to stand on. But unless the pig had done something to them directly, was some kind of public health menace, why should they care if somebody wants to keep a pig as a pet? Who made them the Pig Police? Cue up Pink Floyd's "Animals."

The 311 call led the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to visit Matteo. The agency took her to court, saying that she was harboring a dangerous animal. But the court case was dismissed.

So, problem solved, right?

Nope. Because the Health Department went back to court, now saying that Wilbur hadn't had a rabies vaccination. Because this is the kind of stuff that we want our city agencies to go after hammer-and-tong, right? Get out there and ferret out all the illegal pigs that people may be harboring in the city. Bravo. If they were only so dogged about their other duties.

And, as it turns out, Wilbur has had a rabies vaccination. But it was a dog vaccine, because there's no government-approved rabies vaccines for pigs.

But here's the bottom line: Matteo has until the end of this month to get Wilbur out of the house. There's a refuge in North Carolina that says it will take the pig.

But Matteo doesn't want to give up her pet. And she worries that an indoor pig like Wilbur will have a hard time adjusting to a new environment.

And, again, why should she be forced to give up a pet that's brought comfort and joy to her family and hasn't caused a bit of trouble to anyone? Just because somebody phoned up 311 and complained?

Yeah, there's that law again. But state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Queens) went to bat for a Queens family that was also having their pet pig taken away by the city. And Avella has launched a bill that would allow pigs under 200 pounds to be kept as pets. It's a good idea.

Because let's be honest: Wilbur isn't the only pet pig out there. Skip around the Internet a bit and you'll find stories about other pigs being kept as pets in the city. We've had more problems with deer in this city than with pigs. And City Hall calls deer "New Yorkers"!

Would I own a pig? Probably not. Not my cup of tea. And if I had a neighbor who had a pig that was causing a nuisance, I'm sure I'd be sorely tempted to call 311 and complain.

But that's not the case here. Wilbur has done no harm. Why should the Matteo's beloved pet be taken away?

We must save Wilbur. You can go here to sign the petition.