Updated

Former North Carolina Republican Gov. Pat McCrory has a bone to pick with his successor over a dog sculpture.

The Charlotte Observer reports McCrory blames Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper for the removal of a metal sculpture of his dog, Moe, from the grounds of the governor's western residence in Asheville.

Speaking on his radio show on Friday, McCrory said the sculpture was not just to honor his dog, but to pay tribute to efforts to rescue dogs from puppy mills.

In the first legislative session after his election in 2012, McCrory's wife, Ann, championed a bill requiring breeders to provide daily exercise, fresh food and water, and veterinary care for their dogs. The bill failed to pass the Republican controlled Senate.

McCrory lost a tight race to Cooper in 2016.

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Information from: The Charlotte Observer, http://www.charlotteobserver.com