Feral pigs terrorizing Texas town, angering locals: ‘I can’t go out and start exploding’
Feral pigs have been terrorizing the city of Irving, Texas, frustrating residents as their properties are being destroyed by the invasive animals.
About 10 pigs have been tearing through yards and picking up trash left by garbage collectors, according to WFAA.
The people of this area have become frustrated after fixing their yards dug up by pigs, only for these animals to come back to cause damage again.
“A few weeks ago, I started seeing minerals on the ground,” homeowner Eric Mendez told WFAA, noting that he placed a camera in a tree to capture the intruder.
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A pack of feral hogs has been terrorizing the town of Irving, Texas. (Getty Images)
“What surprised me was that there was a pig on camera,” he said.
But there were more than one pig digging up the area. There were about 10 of them, and some were quite large.
Others reported that the pigs were vandalized, including Mendez’s neighbor, whose property was dug up, and Barbara Bush Middle School.
Garbage is also scattered in many places.
The City of Irving said it is aware of the issue and has hired a wildlife contractor to address the situation. Officials said they believe the hogs came from a wooded area near Grapevine Creek.
Feral pigs cause an estimated $400 million in damage per year in Texas, according to Texas A & M AgriLife Extension, while the national cost is estimated at about $1.5 billion per year.
About 10 pigs were tearing through the yards and getting into the garbage left by the garbage collectors. (Getty Images)
Farmers and ranchers who often face the depredations of pigs can hunt or hire someone to hunt the animals without a license on private property, with no limits on how many can be killed. But a general hunting license is required to hunt on public land, WFAA reported.
Homeowners in Irving first came up with the idea of shooting and killing hogs, but realized they shouldn’t be shooting animals in the suburbs.
“My first thought was, I can go shoot them,” Mendez said. “But I can say, yes, I’m in the neighborhood. I can’t just go out there and start blowing up.”
Looking for alternatives, Mendez came up with the idea of using slings and hitting two pieces of wood to scare the pigs.
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Feral pigs cause an estimated $400 million in damage per year in Texas. (Rodger Mallison/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
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“I was thinking, is there anything I can do here?” he said.
Pigs are known to attack pets and people when they feel threatened. They also reproduce at a rapid rate, as one sow can give birth to two litters of six to eight litters per year.
“I didn’t expect something so big to start crawling in the river,” said Mendez.
“It’s a problem,” he added.
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