Killing Bacon

Is it really fair?

Simply because they are annoyingly rowdy and, well, more than a little pudgy (Unfortunately, their nature is to nibble.), is it right to tell them, “Enough is enough. No more trying to be gentle about it”? (Even if they promise to jog more?)

They’ve faced scorn and hatred before, but to offer them the Final Answer Pill?

(And you thought those rumors of Death Squads were completely unfounded.)

“No, I am not a hog. But I do consume this space, no?” (HitchhikersHandbook/Commons.wikimedia.org)

Warning:  Don’t be a hog! 

Kaput Feral Hog Lure has been approved in Texas in an attempt to control the population of destructive feral hogs.

The deadly feed contains warfarin, a blood thinner, which basically causes the animal to bleed to death internally.

Commissioner Miller’s announcement allowing feral hog toxicant use is here.

Even if you don’t care if wild hogs die an ugly death, you might be concerned about other problems:

• Hunters who enjoy hunting and eating wild hogs, worry they might consume a poisoned animal without knowing.
• Other animals in the food chain can feast on a poisoned carcasses and also get poisoned.
• If a feeder of poisoned lure tips over, other animals could grab a bite and die.
• Some even worry water sources may be contaminated by pellets in rain runoff or flooding.

Feral hogs are unwelcome party crashers invading and trampling even heavily populated areas.

They cause thousands of dollars in damage to agriculture each year.

Hog Apocalypse is predicted if their numbers are not controlled. It’s a huge, difficult battle.

Still, spreading warfarin in the environment could have far-reaching impact.

Concerned enough to want to sign an online petition?

Some of you may remember when Molly Malamute chomped a couple of cubes of rat poison put out by a neighbor last spring. (“I didn’t think the critters would carry it off and maybe drop it in your yard…”) That was warfarin, too. We learned quite a bit about it then. Nasty stuff. And obviously it doesn’t always stay where it’s placed.

Hogs and dogs. Even a casual observer can see similarities. Dogs will eat anything. Leaving them mystery presents to prove that is an inside cat joke.(Sanin/Commons.wikimedia.org)

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department feels this is an acceptable solution.

• Hogs are sensitive to this substance, so the level of toxin should be too low to be a problem with secondary exposure by other animals.
• Also the fatty tissue of a poisoned animal will turn blue so hunters will be warned if they take a poisoned animal.
• Besides some humans take warfarin blood thinners every day. (You have read all that fine print?)
• More of their reasons why it is safe here.

Dallas isn’t ready to serve up the poison yet.

The video below was taken inside Dallas city limits where the wilds hogs are flourishing, but the city wants to try a different approach.  (Read more here.)

Houston/Harris county are also battling the hogs, but are wary of using the poisonous bait.

Videos of feral hogs in local yards here and here

Environmental damage is extremely hard to repair.

Animals aren’t very good at reading those books explaining “Eat this, not that”.

This idea is sort of like recommending using a hammer to kill a mosquito.

Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge

 

 

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