Feral hogs invade DeKalb County neighborhood

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Residents in a DeKalb County neighborhood call a pack of feral hogs a nuisance to property and a danger to residents and their pets.

"It's a dangerous situation," said Jin Masanotti, whose surveillance cameras captured a mother hog and her growing babies coming back to her street night after night.

"She's at least 150 pounds... the babies are at least 80 pounds now. It's only a matter of time before they're full grown now," she said.

In the Valley Brook Estates community, several properties on one street have numerous holes in their yards dug up by these wild swine; one yard is completely destroyed.

"It looks like someone took a bobcat to their yard," Masanotti said.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources said the non-native species of feral hogs generally avoid confrontations with people and may occasionally come into neighborhoods.

The hogs are known to grow tusks and males can grow more than 200 pounds. Females with young are known to charge when they feel threatened.

"I'm afraid coming home at night when its dark," neighbor Robin Corker said.

Neighbors said when they called DeKalb County Animal Control, officers referred them to a professional trapper service.

Masanotti said quotes for a professional trapper ranged from $1,000 to $3,000 for the large wild mammals.

DeKalb County officials told FOX 5 News, the DeKalb County Animal Control neither has the permits nor resources and equipment to trap wild animals. Officials said they will consult DNR as to what can be done about the hog problem.

DNR advises residents who are concerned with invasive hogs to erect fences around their yards, with even chain-link fences that could have electrical wiring.