Poachers shoot down family of pet pigs at Hawaii Country Club
By Shanila Kabir
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WAHIAWA, Hawaii (KITV) — A family of pet pigs were found dead at the Hawaii Country Club, and managers say nearby poachers have been a serious issue for the Club for years.
The pigs played an essential role when it came to cleanup: they fed on the invasive plants on the golf course.
Manger Tom Berg said this is not the first time illegal hunters killed their sanctioned animals and now, they are hoping for harsher punishments for those hunting without a license.
“There are trespassers here who think they are doing us a favor. They are not getting rid of any invasive species if we gave the animals refuge. The pigs didn’t hurt the nearby farms and or the gold course itself,” said Berg.
The Hawaii Country Club has now put up signs warning trespassers.
This comes after another incident in February, when five piglets were killed. The four that survived that tragedy were killed this weekend.
“I’ve been here for a long time as a golfer. We feed them snacks and play with them. They were here before we were, and we enjoyed them,” said Mitchell Ortiz, a member at Hawaii Country Club.
Management adds not only do these hunters need a permit and ask for the owner’s permission to get on property, but they need to schedule safe times if they are going to fire their guns.
He said many golfers hear gunshots hundreds of feet away.
“We have laws to protect these so-called invasive species. It’s not just pigs but we’re taking care of some ducks. We have even had goats,” said Berg.
Berg emphasizes this is not any hunter’s kuleana, and the pig shootings are essentially animal cruelty. Many animals that may appear feral could actually domesticated, and need to be left alone.
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