EDGEWATER, Fla. – Feral hogs are turning backyards into battlegrounds in Edgewater, Florida. Homeowners say they’re waking up to torn-up lawns, thousands of dollars in damage and a problem that returns night after night.
Some residents say they’re fed up, and city leaders plan to address the issue with a community presentation Monday focused on solutions and resources.
Surveillance video shows feral hogs ravaging a yard at a home in the Florida Shores neighborhood.
Rob Fisher, an Edgewater resident who lives off 35th Street, said the animals have been damaging his backyard since 2019.
“We had to put a bunch of wood across the bottom to keep them out. You can see the lattice has been busted up by them,” Fisher said.
Fisher pointed to what he described as a trail through the bushes showing where hogs move back and forth. He said boarding up his property and making repairs has cost him more than $1,500.
“Supposedly there’s a lot of people in Florida who like the taste of the meat — bring them here. Chow is on,” Fisher said.
Around the corner on Orange Drive, another homeowner said hogs have torn up her yard. She did not want to appear on camera but shared video of the animals on her property.
The homeowner said she has paid professionals to remove the hogs since March, including $300 to set a trap and $125 for each catch.
City leaders say the issue is growing across Volusia County. A community presentation is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at Edgewater City Hall. Residents experiencing problems are asked to contact city animal control or the police department.
“I don’t want any harm done to them. I just want them to stop getting into my yard,” Fisher said.