A Plan to Poison Wild Hogs of Texas
The residents of Texas believe that they are bigger than any animal in the state. Texas has the highest number of Wild Hogs, with an estimated population of 2.5 million (Kate, 2017). The population is currently growing rapidly, since sows’ give birth to about five to six piglets twice every year. The piglets become mature after a period of six months, after which they can start breeding. These animals were brought into the state by Spanish explorers in the year 1542, and it is estimated that they can cause damages worth $52million in a year. This is because these animals crash through fences, destroy crops, dig up both internet and water lines, and destroy golf cause, and the lead to car accidents particularly after darting on the roads. In addition, they are also disease carriers, and they are likely to spread the diseases to cattle, human beings and domesticated pigs.
Sid Miller, who is the state’s agricultural commissioner, who also sponsored the pork chopper bill, which allowed Texans to shoot these animals while on helicopters, has now proposed the use of chemicals to kill the animals (Kate, 2017). Miller therefore calls this move as the “feral hog apocalypse”, since it involves the use of Coumadin which is a commonly recommended anticoagulant for human beings. Miller’s department consequently issued an alternative rule in February, speeding the use of the warfarin-laced bait. The bait is being sold locally under the name which is similar to the animals, Kaput Feral Hog Bait. However, the bait can only be sold to licensed pest control professionals, in order to reduce the effects of abuse of the drug by those who were not professionals.
The state hunters who usually wear night goggles and paint their faces at night, have consequently disagreed with the bill, and have therefore requested the district state judge to restrain Miller’s Orders (Kate, 2017). The hunters are against the bill simply because it will hinder them from hunting the wild hogs. In addition, they will not be able to continue with their hunting spree as usually, since other animals might also be killed by the bait. According to the hunters, animals’ movement should only be restricted, and they should not therefore be poisoned as this is animal abuse.
On the other hand, according to Terry a resident of Texas, she believes that the animals should be poisoned in order to eradicate them from the world. In addition, she claims that the state government has tried different methods of dealing with wild hogs, but all the methods have not been successful. The approaches taken by the state government seem not to be effective, hence the animals should be killed in order to make sure that they do not procreate and lead to huge damages. For instance, the bill which allowed Texan’s to shoot animals while on helicopters was not effective, since the hogs tend to run away when a helicopter approaches, a move which makes it hard for the shooters to be able to aim at the animals (Kate, 2017).
In addition, the use of helicopters tends to affect the peace of other animals, and they might end up being shot also. Most Texans were happy with the bill, but it turned out to be very expensive, thus discouraging most Texans from killing the animals. Almost each and every Texan has been affected by wild hogs, since they can cause massive destructions, and they also lead to deaths particularly when they move aimlessly on the roads leading to car accidents (Kate, 2017). An example when a car rolled twice along the highway after the driver tried to avoid hitting a wild pig which was crossing the road. The driver of the car together lost his life on the spot. She strongly believes that the new bill will really help in clearing wild hogs, thus making Texas to become a peaceful state.
According to my point of view, I strongly oppose Terry’s argument, since killing innocent animals is going against the law. Animals deserve to be treated better, and also to be taken care of. One thing that the state should understand, is that these animals are not as bright as human beings, and if the right measures of restricting their movement is put in place, then they will not be able to cause any forms of destruction (Kate, 2017). Moreover, this is a form of animal abuse, which is being covered by the state as a means of reducing destruction of property caused by the animals. On the other hand, there is no way that the state can be able to make sure that other animals do not end up in consuming the bait, a thing which would result in the death other wild animals other than the wild hogs. The state government should also vaccinate domesticated animals, against diseases which might be spread by wild hog. This is consequently the best approach as opposed to poisoning innocent animals which are moving from one place to another in such of food.
Reference
Kate Murphy. (2017). A Plan to Poison the Wild Hogs of Texas: The New York Times. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/29/opinion/sunday/a-plan-to-poison-the-wild-hogs-of-texas.html?_r=0
