SUN CITY CENTER, Fla. — Jim Gilbert said aggressive wild hogs are taking over his Sun City Center neighborhood.
"I was actually in the pool and I looked out and there was one looking at me 20 feet away. You just hope that your screen is strong enough," said Gilbert.
Gail Dudley lives just down the road and said the feral pigs are destroying her property.
"We’ve got several days' worth of damage here, this is the newest," said Dudley.
Neighbors said the wild hogs are coming from the county-owned woods behind their homes.
Peter Pullen, another neighbor, said the HOA doesn’t allow fences. He said the elderly residents can’t do much to get rid of them and right now many people are living in fear.
"If one of them comes after me, I don’t run as fast as I used," said Pullen.
Residents said they believe new construction is to blame for driving the pigs onto their properties.
"All of their habitats are being destroyed by the new developments that are going in non-stop," said Dudley.
And residents are worried about the elderly falling in their yards on the up-rooted ground.
"It's a safety issue," said Dudley.
After residents went to the media with their story, Sun City Center Association director Bob Sullivan said several trappers have reached out to volunteer to help get rid of the pigs. And Gilbert said that day can’t come soon enough.
"People think it's a joke, oh you’ve got pigs in your yard, but forget about the property damage, someone is going to get seriously hurt," said Gilbert.
To learn more about feral hogs, visit FWC's website.
