Compassionate Florida residents have contacted PETA about reports that the Southwest Florida Water Management District is using lethal methods to control feral hogs in Manatee County. Our callers tell us not only that the county is massacring feral hogs but also that juveniles between the ages of 8 and 16 are the ones who are wielding the guns!

Gunning down feral hogs is cruel enough, but putting rifles in the hands of kids is a recipe for disaster. Novice hunters often merely wound their targets, and the animals' deaths can be slow and painful. Mass killings also tear apart families, leaving young and weak animals vulnerable to starvation, dehydration, and predators. Furthermore, lethal methods of wildlife control don't work in the long run. As long as the areas of concern remain attractive and accessible to these animals, more will move in from surrounding areas to fill the newly vacant niche. In addition, killing individuals can result in a spike in the food supply and prompt remaining females to breed, causing the population to increase.

Please politely urge Southwest Florida Water Management District officials to halt all hunts that allow children—or anyone—to kill feral hogs in Manatee County and push for long-term feral hog–management methods that are more effective and humane.