BARMY shop bosses axed a tiny pig from a kids' toy farm set - in case it upset Muslim and Jewish parents.



An angry mum complained to the Early Learning Centre when she found the pig missing and was told it had been removed for "
religious reasons"
.

The mother, named only as Caroline, found there was no porker with the cow, sheep, chicken, horse and dog in the store's HappyLand Goosefeather Farm.

There was an empty sty in the farm set she bought for her daughter's first birthday - and a button that made an oinking noise when pressed.

But after writing to the ELC's customer services she got an email reply admitting the pig had been removed in case it upset Muslim or Jewish parents. Both religions ban the eating of pork because they consider the pig an unclean animal.



The email said: "
Previously the pig was part of the Goosefeather Farm. However due to customer feedback and religious reasons this is no longer part of the farm."


Furious Caroline yesterday accused the ELC of an astonishing over-reaction. She added: "
This is political correctness gone loopy. Surely if someone has an issue with a toy, they don't buy it."


Astonished parents, including Muslim mums, yesterday agreed with Caroline.

A mum named Safiyyah said on parenting website Netmums: "
I'm Muslim and it doesn't bother me. It's just another animal.

"
What are the store going to do next? Ban the Peppa Pig cartoon? Stop selling books with pigs in? This is a multi-cultural country."


Fellow Muslim mum Natasha added: "
If you don't want your kid playing with a pig toy, simply throw it in the bin. Other kids should not have to suffer."
Netmums' founder Siobhan Freegard said: "
Removing pigs from farm sets is like introducing 'Baa Baa White Sheep' and calling Christmas 'The Winter Holiday.' Please let common sense prevail."


Alec Suttenwood, chairman of the Anti-Political Correctness group, said the ban was "
ridiculous."
He added: "
Pigs are kept on farms - it is a fact of life."




ELC said: "
The decision to remove the pig was taken in reaction to customer feedback in some parts of the world."


But after The Sun intervened ELC admitted it made a pig's ear of the episode and said the porker will return.

A spokeswoman said: "
We recognise that pigs are familiar farm animals - especially for our UK customers.

"
We have taken the decision to reinstate the pig and to no longer sell the set in international markets where it might create an issue."

What about cows, then?? Can't they be classed as "
religiously offensive"
to some??

What on earth are these people on about? Talk about going PC- its a toy pig on a farm for goodness sake! What are they going to ban next- all the animals just because it might offend vegetarians?

Of course, we could ban farms entirely

Yeah! will end up with some dried corn,wheat and a bit of Lucerne!

mmmmmmmmmmmm how come *other* peoples feelings are never considered, i would be most upset if i purchased something with a part missing.

We live in Turkey and this week is Bayram.
Thought we would stop and have a coffee at our friends cafe this afternoon. I did notice a tractor parked a couple of blocks down but not unusual as, many farmers around us have them. My partner went outside for a ciggi and then saw why. A big black bull had had his throat cut. A customer had watched and said it took 4 and half minutes for it to die. We know this is all part of there religion and I would think this is how all animals were slaughtered years ago, but it still turned my stomach and made me feel sorry for the animal. While drinking my coffee best I could, Turkish families came with young children to view this poor creature and then were given some meat from it. This is going to happen every day this week.
It is supposed to be done in private now but this one wasn't.
So all this over a toy pig !!!! Makes you wonder what all these PC people know about any facts to do with the Muslim faith.
Will they be allowing this happen on the corner of their street next. We will see.

It almost reads like an Onion story, but we've seen it before. Out of curiosity, have Jews ever demanded a pig-anything be removed? The latter part of the story answers the question by stating they won't sell the pig in international markets where it might create an issue

As the title asks "
Has the world gone mad ????????"
[size=200:21n6z9za]YES