Thursday 30 September 2021

Rampaging wild pigs return to Lafayette

LAFAYETTE, Calif. (KRON) - Wild pigs are back to terrorizing homeowners in the East Bay.

People living in Lafayette have been complaining about the pigs running wild and trampling their well-manicured yards but officials say they're working to stop these problematic pests.

These feral hogs are back to pigging out on people's lawns. It first became a problem in 2019 and a trapper was brought in to help out.

They did but now the invasive animals are back to searching for food and water and their fight for survival is once again becoming a big issue in the area. 

Jonathan Katayanagi is Lafayette's Parks Trails and Recreation director but over the last few years of fielding more than a hundred wild hog complaint calls, he now has the unofficial title as the area's pig professional.

The city has dealt with this pig problem once before.

In 2019, the invasive animals chewed through neighborhoods and athletic fields causing more than $25,000 in damage. A trapper was able to get rid of more than a dozen of them but now they're back.

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Linda Mooers has lived in the Burton Valley neighborhood for more than 20 years and she couldn't believe what was happening.

Charles Tian moved to Lafayette just over a year ago -- He's sympathetic to the pigs’ fight for survival but also wants the city to stop them.

For now, sections of trails within Lafayette Community Park have been closed off to keep people and pets safe from the pigs.

Katayanagi is expecting to get a handle on the hungry hogs.

As for what you can do about the pig problem, it's not much other than contacting the city or getting a trapper.

The city is also asking people to keep their dogs on a leash at Lafayette Community Park to avoid any possible unwanted run-ins with wild pigs.



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