A day in the life of Pets Corner.

Byline: By Andrew Hankinson

Baaa, cluck, quack and oink, but no moo. Pets Corner nearly has it all. It has pigs; big globular pot-bellied pigs.

If you have a close encounter with one you will find them pretty uncouth. I mean they're uncouth, not pretty.

A pot-bellied pig is a belly on four inadequate legs, like an over-laden Japanese table.

Their squat little bottoms waddle round as their snouts snuffle out muck-covered carrots. And speaking of bottoms, it is difficult to spot which end is which on the pigs at Pets Corner. Consequently their grunts are not so endearing. So if anybody ever says you have a face like a pig, take it as a double insult. It would be better to have a face like the back end of a bus than the back end of a pig.

Steve Coldwell, 37, and his daughter Holly, 3, visit Pets Corner every week. I asked Holly which was her favourite animal, but with diplomatic aplomb, she said all of them were her favourite.

Steve said: "She wants to be a vet when she grows up".

A diplomatic vet, I bet.

Apart from the pigs, there is also an interesting aviary, but they are on a hiding to nothing when there are fluffy things to pat.

The lonesome sheep seems to have the most animated audience. Its goofy teeth pop up over the fence every now and then, trying to lure in any food-holding youngsters.

Aside from the many species of birds, the sheep and the pigs, there are also rabbits, goats and a pony.

Katy Squire, 30, her husband David, 33, and son Ewan, 18 months, all from Whitley Bay, go to Pets Corner every fortnight or so.

Katy said: "It's not so great when the weather's bad, but otherwise it's much more fun than traditional museums."

Ewan was a little too young to tell me his favourite animal, but his parents told me he was very fond of the ducks and chickens. Ewan seemed to like his football more than the ducks, but to be fair, you can make a lot more money from football than ducks.

Hens, chickens and peacocks all parade in the most prominent enclosures. The peacocks strut around, preening themselves with no appreciation of vanity. They never look so cocky when stuffed on the wall of a country manor. I whispered that to the ducks but they waddled off to feeding hands. Ducks are bound to be flat-footed with their manners.

Viv Heaton, 27, also from Whitley Bay, and her one-year-old daughter, Lily, go to Pets Corner every few months.

Viv said: "Lily likes the ducks and chickens, but I like the pigs."

Do you not think it is strange that the children like the ducks over the fluffy things? It is because ducks make a lot of noise, apparently. It must drive the other birds quackers.

Chris Hardy, 19, cares for the animals over the weekend.

Chris said: "I love the outdoors, the animals and the people. Pets Corner has it all."

Now this bit is sad, so be prepared. Two of the sheep were recently poisoned and another was beaten to death. Since then a tall perimeter fence has been erected. One sheep is still at Pets Corner and Chris has named her Lucky. I do not suppose she must feel very lucky now all her friends have gone. Maybe her relatives will get revenge through food-poisoning when they end up as lamb chops.

Suddenly I heard a stirring in the pig pen: "Four legs good, two legs bad".

Maybe they are rather proud of their rear ends. It was time for me to leave, but do go and cheer up Lucky if you can.

NPets Corner is in Jesmond Dene. It is open from 9am until dusk (subject to change).