Attacks on humans by domestic pigs are uncommon, but not unheard of, according to experts. While there are instances of fatal encounters, these are exceptionally rare, and one must look beyond Samoa to find such cases.

A 2021 academic study highlights that domestic pigs generally appear docile. Yet, there have been notable exceptions, including the incidents where a 49-year-old man was fatally attacked in his farm's pigsty, and where a butcher in Hong Kong last year was knocked down and bitten to death by a pig in a slaughterhouse.

Statistically, attacks by wild boars, the domestic pig’s genetic cousin, are much more frequent, though they are also rare. John J. Mayer, a zoologist with a doctorate from the University of Connecticut, analyzed hundreds of wild pig attacks over recent decades and found that these animals typically avoid human contact. Most attacks occur under circumstances where the pigs get stressed, injured, or cornered.

Wild pigs are found in forests across various regions of the world, including Europe, North America, and Asia. They have also been introduced in several countries in Oceania. One of the most notorious incidents involving a wild pig attack was the death of a newborn in Papua New Guinea in 1985. Victims of wild pig attacks often describe these animals as 'huge', 'immense', or 'enormous’. A full-grown pig can weigh up to 300 kilograms.