CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A truckload of pigs wasn't ready to become bacon, despite being parked in the hot sun for hours in West Virginia.

Bystanders called the fire department Friday after spotting 165 "panting pigs" in a seemingly abandoned tractor-trailer outside a Long John Silver restaurant.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported that firefighters doused the pigs with water to keep them cool, and had the truck towed to a shady spot until the Ohio trucking company comes to retrieve the animals.

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The Charleston Fire Department shared photos on Twitter of their crew spraying the animals with water.

Crews operating to keep a tractor and trailer full of pigs cool while the big rig gets moved. pic.twitter.com/2Sh9h8Pk51 — CharlestonWVFire (@CharlestonFDWV) June 2, 2017

The newspaper identified the driver as 55-year-old Keith Stikeleather, who said it's his second week on the job. He said he went for a walk and lost track of time.

CBS affiliate WOWK-TV reports Stikeleather eventually showed up after the truck had been towed.

Department Assistant Fire Chief Rob Sutler said the pigs appeared healthy but would need to regain the weight they sweated off.