Diane Warren Adopts Runaway Pig Wilbur After 4 Bidders Vie for Him

Q: Why did a local animal shelter rely on a silent auction to decide the fate of a viral runaway piglet?

The shelter used a silent auction because Wilbur’s viral fame drew multiple qualified adopters at once, and officials said they needed a fair, competitive way to choose without favoritism. After the piglet was captured and taken to the West L.A. Animal Shelter, no owner came forward to claim him within the holding period. By the time he became available for adoption, four people had shown up hoping to take him home. According to Los Angeles Animal Services, a silent auction is the process used when several people want the same animal, because it helps determine the adopter impartially. The decision was not simply about popularity. Wilbur was an unusual adoption case: he was a young pig, about 11 weeks old and roughly 17 pounds, and officials had noted that anyone seeking to adopt him would need to show they had a suitable home. Pigs can grow substantially and require space and appropriate zoning. In the end, Marcia Zwilling won the silent auction on behalf of songwriter Diane Warren and her foundation, reportedly with a $500 bid. That sent Wilbur to Warren’s Malibu animal sanctuary, where he will live with other rescued animals.

Q: Where exactly did a 17-pound farm pig come from before it was found wandering the busy streets of West Hollywood?

It is still unknown exactly where the 17-pound pig came from before it was found running through West Hollywood. The reporting shows Wilbur was seen sprinting near Laurel Avenue, Hayworth Avenue and the Fairfax area, then was captured and taken to the West L.A. Animal Shelter. Shelter officials held him for several days to give an owner a chance to come forward, but no one did. Multiple accounts explicitly said the pig’s owner remained a mystery, and news outlets noted it was unclear how the black-and-white piglet got loose. One report said social media commenters claimed they had seen the pig before and thought they knew where it came from, but no verified owner or origin was established in the published coverage. What is confirmed is that Wilbur was about 11 weeks old, weighed roughly 17 pounds, appeared to be a farm pig or piglet, and ultimately was adopted by Diane Warren’s foundation after no claimant appeared. So the precise source of the pig before it wandered into West Hollywood has not been publicly identified.

Q: Will the original owner of the viral piglet ever step forward to claim their lost pet from a famous celebrity?

Probably not, unless the owner can now prove ownership and persuade the adopter or shelter to reverse the placement. As of the latest reporting, no owner came forward during the shelter’s holding period, which ended Thursday morning. After that deadline passed, West L.A. Animal Shelter treated the piglet as unclaimed and moved ahead with adoption. Because several people wanted him, officials used a silent auction, and Diane Warren secured the pig through a winning bid made by Marcia Zwilling on behalf of Warren and her foundation. That means the pig is no longer simply being held as a lost animal awaiting pickup; he has been legally adopted into a new home. He is expected to live at Warren’s seven-acre Malibu animal sanctuary, where she already keeps other rescued animals. An original owner could still surface later, especially since social media commenters speculated the pig may have come from a nearby home. But there is no public indication so far that anyone has provided proof of ownership, such as veterinary records, photos, purchase documents or identifying details accepted by the shelter. So the practical answer is that it is still possible, but increasingly unlikely. The official window to claim the pig has already passed, and Wilbur — or possibly “Hollywood,” as Warren may rename him — now appears settled in a permanent placement.

3 articles · Updated · KABC-TV · Aug 20

Four people sought to adopt Wilbur at the West L.A. Animal Shelter on Thursday, and Diane Warren secured the runaway pig through a silent auction bid placed by foundation director Marcia Zwilling.
Wilbur had been caught on viral video scampering through a West Hollywood neighborhood near Laurel Avenue over the weekend before being captured and taken to the shelter, where no owner came forward.
Warren said she wanted to save the pig after seeing the news clips, and Wilbur will now live at her 7-acre Malibu animal sanctuary with other animals.
The Grammy-winning songwriter joked, "I lose Oscars but I won a pig," and is considering renaming him Hollywood because she already has another pig named Wilbur.