Palm Coast is a Flagler County city of some 75,000 people located north of Daytona Beach, and while residents like Bart Kaplan enjoy keeping a well-manicured yard, they say keeping it that way has become a challenge lately thanks to feral hogs.
“The feral hogs came, and they are looking for grubs and other delicacies," Kaplan said. 'The mulch apparently attracts them, so they dig."
What You Need To Know
- Residents of a Palm Coast community say aggressive wild hogs are attacking people and destroying property
- According to resident Bart Kaplan, the local homeowner association will not allow him to building a fence to protect his property
- So far, Kaplan said he has spent $7,000 on repairs to property damaged by the wild hogs
They dig in the front yard, backyard and on the side of his house, leaving holes everywhere, Kaplan said. Repair costs have run about $7,000 to undo damage caused by the feral animals, he said.
“We can fix it up, and the very next night it can be destroyed again,” Kaplan said. “How much can an individual in occur those expenses?”
He said he’s pleaded with his local homeowner association to take some action, but so far has had no results. Kaplan said he would like to install a fence like his neighbor, but HOA leadership tell has told him he’s not allowed.
Kaplan, who is originally from New York, said he came to Palm Coast to enjoy the Florida sunshine and get away from big city problems.
“We have great neighbors," he said. "In your retirement years, this is what you want — you want peace and quiet and enjoyment. We can’t do all those things because we fear wild animals.”
The Kaplans are not alone with their fears. Neighbor David Reisman said while recently walking his dog, Riley, the hogs attacked.
“All of a sudden, when I was still near my door, two pigs came charging at me from the front of the house," he said. "And I was whacking him, and he was in front of me, and that is some of his blood. And they knocked me into this shrub. I couldn’t get up."
The hogs live in a nearby preserve, and one neighbor provided Spectrum News with video of the animals, which often stroll into their development at all times of the day, digging up yards and other common areas throughout the community.
“So, if I leave the property damaged and I don’t touch it, they can fine me. If I put up a fence, they can fine me,” Kaplan said. “Which fine would you choose to pay?”
Kaplan said the homeowner association has discussed the option of hiring hog trappers, but so far, that has not happened.
When reached by Spectrum News 13, the president of Kaplan's HOA declined to comment on the situation.