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Fight over Porkchop the pig is denied by Amherst's Zoning Board of Appeals

Town officials say farm animals aren't allowed in the neighborhood, but Porkchop's owners argue he should be allowed as an emotional support animal.

AMHERST, New York — An Amherst family went to the town zoning board of appeals Tuesday night to be allowed to keep their 200-pound pet pig named Porkchop. 

The family was hoping to get an exception from the zoning board, but their request was denied.

Porkchop is not just a pet, but also emotional support animal for his owner Courtney Kruss. 

Kruss told 2 On Your Side she suffers from anxiety and depression, and Porkchop plays a huge role in her life.

"I went through a very rough time and honestly he has helped me through a lot of that," Kruss said.  

She's had the two-year-old pig since he was just four-weeks-old.

However, a few months back, Porkchop got out and was tracked down by police. Since then, not everyone in the town thinks he should be able to stay.

For some people, the pig in Amherst debate feels like deja vu.

"Two years ago we had Ham Solo," said John Radens, the chairman of the Amherst Zoning Board of Appeals." That was not approved because it's not permitted. Hoofed animals are not permitted in an R-3 zone."

Before the meeting, Kruss told us that was her biggest fear. 

"It would break my heart and the whole town of Amherst would see my mental breakdown, honestly," she said.

Kruss and her family pleaded with the town zoning board of appeals, asking for an exception. But, they weren't the only people who had something to say. Several community members expressed their concerns with a pig living in the neighborhood. 

The zoning board of appeals ultimately denied the request to allow Porkchop to stay in Amherst. 

However, Porkchop's time with Kruss is not over. In just a few weeks, her family is moving to Tennessee, and they're taking Porkchop with them. They said, to their family, he's more than just a pig.

"He can put a smile on my face at any moment, any time I'm feeling upset about something," Kruss said. "He's just ... he's there." 

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