Over the last few days, Manheim Township Police had received numerous calls about a pig- yes, you read that correctly, running loose through the streets of the Hamilton Park neighborhood in Lancaster Township.  

As it turns out, pigs are fast...and elusive...and this one escaped capture for days, presumably living off the land like its cousin, the wild boar.   This morning, around 0930hrs, a resident of the 900 block of Elm Ave called to report that an enormous pig was napping under his trampoline in the backyard.   Three Manheim Township police officers and one civilian police aide, with over 40 years of experience, arrived and found that, yes- this is a pig.   And he's enormous.   So, now what?

Typically, 40 years of combined police experience will solve almost any problem quickly.  And had this been a dog or cat, it would have been resolved within the hour.   But livestock on the loose?  Not exactly in our wheelhouse.   We don't have the equipment to catch, contain, or even transport a hog.  And where would we transport it to, even if we did have those things?   The butcher shop?

After numerous phone calls to multiple agencies and organizations, all of which couldn't help, a retired Manheim Township officer, who has a passion for animals, was contacted and suggested the Lancaster Farm Sanctuary.  

One phone call later, they were en route with personnel and pig-catching stuff.... which we believe is the correct terminology.    

Fortunately, this pig- who by now we had named "Hamilton", seemed pretty tired, as he had settled down for a nap in a shady corner of the mostly fenced-in yard.   Note- "mostly" fenced-in yard.   That becomes very relevant in a moment.  

Lancaster Farm Sanctuary personnel arrived and began formulating a plan to contain Hamilton and direct him into the back of their farm van, primarily by bribing him with food.  Hamilton wasn't really on board with this plan and found the one spot in that mostly fenced yard that wasn't mostly fenced, to make his escape back to the streets of Hamilton Park.   A foot pursuit of the escaped swine ensued, and yes, we see the irony in 3 cops chasing a pig.  As it turns out, Hamilton wasn't as tired as we thought because we're fairly certain he's the fastest pig alive.   After nearly being struck by a passing Tesla on Atkins Ave, Hamilton made a break for the open parking lot along West St and into another fenced-in area...which happened to be the courtyard of Pediatric Specialty Care on Rider Ave.   Great.  An out-of-control farm animal in the play area of a Pediatric medical facility.  What could go wrong?  

Officers entered the facility courtyard and found no patients or staff outside.   But we did see Hamilton.  And this time, it was completely fenced, not mostly.   Lancaster Farm Sanctuary positioned their vehicle just outside the gate of the courtyard, and after about 20 minutes of chasing Hamilton around inside the courtyard, probably much to the amusement of the staff inside Pediatric Specialty Care, we were able to secure Hamilton in a dog crate, load him into the back of the Sanctuary van.  He was transported to their farm, where he will live out his days, telling stories to the other rescued farm animals about how he was saved from his "life on the streets."    Lancaster Farm Sanctuary intends to post updates on Hamilton on its social media pages.  

The Manheim Township Police Department is extremely thankful for the assistance of several neighbors, the staff at Pediatric Specialty Care, and the staff of Lancaster Farm Sanctuary in getting Hamilton "in custody."   We are much better at catching criminals than we are at catching farm animals, and without Lancaster Farm Sanctuary, we'd probably still be standing in that backyard on Elm Avenue, staring at that sleeping pig, asking, "So, now what?"   

Not all heroes wear capes- sometimes, they wear Muck boots.