Arnold the Pig to stay with foster family

Arnold the pot-bellied pig won't be coming home to live with the mayor after all.

"It has been a really difficult decision, but we've decided he is happier where he is," Mayor Bob Crowell said Wednesday afternoon.

Crowell was compelled to give up Arnold last year during his mayoral campaign after the city's animal services department received a complaint that his pet pig was not allowed under city ordinance.

An animal rescue organization placed Arnold in a foster home in Dayton, where he still resides.

An amended animal ordinance was subsequently drafted by Animal Services to allow pot-bellied pigs and certain other small livestock, and to update other outdated regulations.

The board of supervisors - with Crowell abstaining - passed the ordinance on July 2.

"Susan (Crowell's wife) and I went out there Monday night to pick up Arnold, but we couldn't do it," he said.

The couple returned home to ponder their dilemma, and decided Tuesday night that they couldn't separate Arnold from his new family.

"Arnold has been there with these two kids for so long, they have all bonded, so we had to ask ourselves, 'Is this the best thing for Arnold?'" Crowell said, appearing emotional about the decision.

"We spent all day yesterday (Tuesday) thinking about this. It was hard, but we had to consider, 'Do we really want to take him away from all this?'

"Arnold is not only happy, but their kids are happy. He's in a lovely home with a lovely family and although we love Arnold, Susan and I decided we just can't do that to him," Crowell said.

Crowell said he has no young children to lavish attention upon Arnold, so the decision just made sense. Arnold is 12 years old, arthritic and slightly blind.

Crowell said he talked with the family Wednesday but they declined to be identified. He also confirmed that he would take advantage of visitation rights.