HONOLULU -- A Tantalus family said dogs on a state-sanctioned pig hunt killed their pot-bellied pig on their property on Sunday.

The 3 1/2-year-old pet pig was killed while he was in an enclosure on private property at the home of prominent attorneys University of Hawaii Law professor Jon Van Dyke and Sherry Broder along Round Top Drive.

A sign at the home says "pot-bellied pig at play." However, its owners said dogs that were supposed to be hunting wild pigs killed their pet pig on Sunday morning between 7:30 and 9:45 a.m.

Van Dyke's sister-in-law discovered the pig dead. The family said dogs broke through a fence.

Van Dyke, a constitutional law expert, said his son Eric raised the pig named Gonzo Picasso while attending college in Las Vegas. The family moved the pig to their house on Tantalus in June, building this fenced enclosure and a little house for him.

The home is located close to several hiking trails.

In February, the state began allowing wild pig hunts in the Manoa and Makiki area for a yearlong period.

The family said they chased away hunting dogs outside their pig's enclosure about a month ago and called the state to complain.

The family plans to bury the family pet. The state should set traps for wild pigs, instead of allowing packs of dogs to hunt for them, Van Dyke said.

The state allows pig hunts on Wednesdays and Sundays. The Broder-Van Dyke family said they routinely hear dogs barking near their property on those days.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources issues permits for pig hunters. DLNR officials said it has opened an investigation in the case.