HAMMOND - After Salty Joe's pig mascot was stolen from its storefront on Christmas day, deputies were able to safely recover her and return her to her rightful place. 

The restaurant posted security footage of the pig being stolen on Dec. 25, and thanks to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office, the pig has been recovered with only slight damage to her ear. 

The hot pink pig has been a signature at Salty Joe's since the place was first built. Francisco Esqueda, executive chef at the restaurant, says they initially bought it and a cow counterpart to serve as fountains. Over the years ideas changed, and the barn animal pair moved outside by a fence. 

"It's been here a long time," Esqueda said.

The impromptu Christmas vacation wasn't the mascot's first escape. Managers of the restaurant say a couple of weeks before, the woman from the video asked to buy it.

"She kept asking if we were selling it, and we told her 'no'," Shelley Trabona, one of the managers said.

Then, on Dec. 14 manager spotted the woman moving the pig down the street in a cart. They stopped her, and she handed over the pig. The same thing happened the day before Christmas, and again she was stopped in the act. 

Early Christmas morning, Trabona says the woman made away with the pig, and when Salty Joe's posted the high jinks to social media, tips started flying in. Managers say the owner of a nearby apartment complex admitted one of their tenants had the pig. 

"Mrs. Piggy is in recovery as we speak," Salty Joe's posted on Facebook Friday. 

Esqueda says the has no intention or pressing charges, and the whole thing made him laugh. 

"To us it was kind of funny," Esqueda said. "We've never had something like this happen to us at Salty Joe's."

Deputies say Mrs. Piggy was located at an apartment complex nearby and the owners of Salty Joe's have chosen not to press charges.