Feral hogs continue to plague the City of Arlington, with multiple reports of sightings throughout the city over the years.
The unwanted animals have been living in the city “for the last few years mainly along the Trinity River,” according to the city’s website, and are known to cause property damage when searching for food.
Paula Panchak, a resident of Arlington, told KERA News that the hogs “destroy” yards in the area and that the acorns falling from a tree in her front yard make her home a target for the animals. She said she has spotted up to nine feral hogs in her yard at one time.
“It’s been very frustrating, the amount of damage they’ve done,” said Panchak, according to KERA. “And it’s also frightening. You have to be careful when you go outside because they’re very aggressive. And if they have babies with them, you’re in danger of being attacked.”
David Davis, an Arlington Animal Services officer who heads the city’s hog trapping service, told KERA that the hogs are most active between October and March, adding that the department trapped 25 last month.
“For the most part, we try to let wildlife be wild,” said Davis, according to KERA. “But in the case of the hogs, with them being an invasive species and stuff, we make an exception.”
Kelly Sazama and Mark McGinnis, Arlington residents, said they may “zeroscape” their yard to stave off the hogs. Sazama, however, does not expect the problem to end anytime soon.
“It’s going to be a forever thing,” said Sazama, per KERA. “We don’t think it’s going to disappear.”
The city advises residents to exercise caution when encountering wild hogs in the city.
“Feral hogs, like all wild animals, have a potential to be dangerous, especially if wounded or cornered,” says the city on its website. “Caution should be maintained if encountering females with young.”
Feral hogs have plagued North Texas residential areas for some years. McKinney residents spotted the creatures in and around their community earlier this year and in April of 2022, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Texas Parks and Wildlife reports that the creatures are prevalent across the State of Texas and are listed as one of the world’s top 100 worst exotic invasive species, capable of carrying various types of infections and diseases.
Residents can report wild animal sightings to Arlington Animal Services by calling 817-459-5898.
