A pair of pigs trotting through an inner-city neighborhood in San Antonio has residents on high alert. Residents were stopped in their tracks on casual strolls, capturing footage of swine strolling through open fields and front yards they feared were dangerous wild hogs. But rumor has it these are a pair of illegal pot belly pigs owned by a neighbor.
Over the past week, videos and images have circulated from watchful neighbors in Colonial Hills – a small neighborhood just north of Loop 410 on the Northside of San Antonio. Two dark-coated pigs were the subjects seen prancing around the neighborhood.
“Wild hogs [are] very, very, very, very, extremely dangerous. Do not approach these animals,” concerned neighbor Michael Conner warned. “They will fight, [and] they will attack you. You don’t even have to provoke them…”
But are these wild hogs or a pair of domesticated pot belly pigs? Turns out, it’s hard to spot the different.
Wild hog sightings in San Antonio
One of two pigs spotted roaming a San Antonio neighborhood just north of Loop 410. It’s tricky to spot the difference between a wild hog and a domesticated pig, but locals say the two belong to a neighbor. (Courtesy of Terri Menig)
According to San Antonio Animal Care Services, feral hogs were first brought to Texas by the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in the mid-1500s. A population boom of wild swine emerged in the 1980s, and officials have been trying to cut down the numbers ever since.
“Feral hogs are smart,” San Antonio ACS states. “Inefficient attempts to control their numbers make them wary and less susceptible to control measures and often result in the hogs becoming nocturnal.”
Sightings are mostly left to the outskirts of the city, heading into the more rural regions of Bexar County. Though urban sprawl pushing housing further and further from San Antonio’s core means sightings aren’t uncommon.
Are the pigs spotted in a San Antonio neighborhood wild hogs or pot belly pigs?
Spotting the difference between a wild hog and a pet can be tricky. The two are closely related and share a lot of features. Though, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says feral pigs tend to be leaner with thicker hides and have coarse, bristly hair. Non-domesticated pigs also often have longer tusks.
The plump bellies of these two culprits concerning residents in the Colonial Hills neighborhood of San Antonio suggest they’re either well-fed and wild or someone’s pet. Wild hogs also tend to travel in clusters or family groups called sounders, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife officials. For some in the area, the fact only two were seen together is proof they’re not wild.
Several residents responded, claiming the pair of pigs belong to a neighbor. Some even identified them as Vietnamese Pot Belly Pigs. Though, the jury is still out.
Can you have pigs in San Antonio?
It is illegal to own pigs within the city limits of San Antonio. If city officials catch you with any squealing houseguests without an approved livestock permit, you could be hit with a Class C misdemeanor with fines that average around $300.
This doesn’t seem to be stopping San Antonio residents, however. For years, MySA has reported on a rising swine problem in the city, overwhelming city officials.
“We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, it’s illegal to own pigs,” ACS staffer Lisa Norwood told MySA back in 2022. “People think, ‘Oh I’m going to have a cute micro pig, and it’s going to stay very small,’ but that’s not the case. You’re essentially having livestock in your house.”
This article originally published at Two mysterious pigs roaming San Antonio neighborhood spark wild hog debate.