Trapping wild pigs in San Jose now legal

Sunday, April 5, 2015

The city of San Jose, Calif., has made permanent a law to legalize the shooting of wild pigs within city limits, NBC Bay Area reports.

Wild pigs have become a problem in San Jose, where they are ripping up lawns, damaging fairways and attracting mountain lions. After a trial law passed in 2013 met with success, city officials voted to make permanent a law allowing citizens to trap and shoot wild pigs within city limits.

There are some conditions, the first being that citizens wanting to kill invading pigs must get a "depredation" permit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. According to the San Jose Mercury News, after trying nonlethal methods to control pigs on their property, citizens can set traps. If the traps catch a pig, the individual must first alert the police and move the trap away from any homes before the pig – which must remain in the cage – can be shot.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, only 14 pigs were caught during the initial trial period. San Jose Councilman Johnny Khamis told the San Jose Mercury News, "We've had some minor success, but I think that it's making a difference." BP