Trappers capture over 120 feral hogs destroying Katy neighborhoods

HOUSTON - From Cinco Ranch to Cross Creek, feral hogs are "rooting" for their home team by tearing up lawns and turning backyard gardens into midnight buffets. For many families, their suburban dream is starting to look more like a construction zone.

The Cleanup Crew Moves In

Local perspective:

Just a mile away from Exploration Park, the battle lines have been drawn. Texas Hog Trappers reports they have already captured over 120 hogs in the area. For locals, this intervention has been years in the making.

"They've been destroying our neighborhoods and getting in through fences and just creating havoc everywhere throughout here," Katy Resident Patrick Abbott said. "So I'm glad they're getting taken care of."

Abbott, who recently spotted a group of eight wild hogs freshly captured in a cage, says the destruction is personal.

"One day, last year, they destroyed our whole lawn in one day, including some of our neighbors as well, too," Abbott said. "They're just very destructive (and) these pigs are bred to have piglets within about six months after being born, so they're quickly having 12 more piglets each time."

Why Katy?

Dig deeper:

Michael Cobb, a veteran with Texas Hog Trappers, has been "bringing home the bacon" across the state for more than 30 years. He says the hog problem in Katy is a mix of history and biology.

"Katy was a large farm area," Cobb said. "So, they're able to produce, hogs are able to be a domestic species at one point and two weeks later, they can become wild."

Beyond the property damage, Cobb warns that the animals pose a legitimate safety risk.

"Wild hogs are pretty dangerous," Cobb said. "They're smart, they evolve. (They) carry diseases and so they're really not good for pets or humans alike."

What's Next:

Once captured, the animals are transported to a Texas farm to live out the rest of their lives away from suburban flowerbeds.