They don't have the glands for it.

4-H as well as FFA livestock projects are not JUST about raising market animals. You can also raise breeding animals. Hogs are very intelligent animals. Smarter than most humans I know. They're also remarkably clean animals (given the opportunity to be so).
You will never see a sweaty hog.
Nor will you ever see one eat until it makes itself sick.

Sounds like Kirby has a hog breeding program and not a 4H hog raising program. There is a difference. If he was truly just letting his kids raise for a show the pigs would be in the yard for only around 6 months or so. Buy one, feed it, sell at the show, start again next year. No one in the city should have to smell 13 hogs in a neighbors back yard.

MRACP....calm down. I did not insult you, I merely observed that anyone who thought that 13 hogs are not smelly must have never been around 13 hogs, and I hardly think that was off topic.

What about the horses that can be found in the city limits? They can be seen on property on John Stockbauer and Leary Lane. I am sure there are other areas. I do not have a problem with this, but someone may be opening a huge can of worms.

what kind of permits are needed to run a hog farm ?
 

Lol! You call living in Victoria, "living in the city?" That is funny as hell.

Lotex - call the health department. Thas jus nasty.

I have some friends that live in this neighborhood. They said some of the pigs have been there year around and one or two have actually gotten out of their pens and roamed the neighborhood a couple of times. And yes, they were actually seen at the nearby Walgreens. As stated by some of Dr's friends in here, he was actually breeding pigs. That's not 4H, that's a pig farm. I'm all for 4H, but I sure would not want to live next to anyone raising 1, 4 or even more pigs. We live in the city, not the country. I say change the city code at the end of the 4H program and rid our community of this nuisance.

Well my neighbor has an open sewer that is sometimes a swimming pool. Call the GD City and they send an inspector out about 8 weeks later....leave the pigs alone, or ENFORCE ALL THE CODES!

so someone posted they went to a party under the huge oak trees.... well I know the area and my real estate definition of this place is...
"Large corner lot with mature oak trees, COUNTRY LIVING in the city!"

Someone has way too much time on their hands to complain about kids 4-h projects... maybe they should become friends with the Garrett children so they can "learn" them a few things about raising hogs... or maybe the complainer may not be able to handle real work!!

What is the big deal? It's not like these hogs are walking down the street to Walgreens or Tejas and hanging out. I think there are bigger problems in our town. Now if these so called nuisance hogs start slinging crack to my kids, then I have a problem.

i want to tell all of you who have written such rude unkind staatements about the Garrett family and the little piggies!!! It is such a shame that some BUSYBODIES WITH NOTHING BETTER TO DO go around and try to spoil something good and worthwhile that these children are doing here FOR their community GOSH PEOPLE PUT A SOCK IN IT FIND A CAUSE OTHER THAN 4-h PROJECTS SAY DRUGS FOR INSTANCE BIG PROBLEM IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS!!!

What some of you do not realize is that the complaint did not come from a next door neighhbor. The neighbors closest to the Garretts do not have a problem with their hogs. The complaint came from someone who does not even live close to the Garretts! You cannot smell the hogs if you are not on their property. This is not a hog farm it is a 4-H project. The hogs were purchased this fall and will be gone by the end of March. It is only a few months that the Garretts have hogs on their property. They only have 4 hogs on their property as the aricle said, the other hogs are out of the city limits. Some of you need to read the whole article before you start replying.

the smell isn't that bad ? define not that bad please.

the run off from the pig waste should be more than enough cause to shut down this big business.

Well, 13 is a lil much now! I know the neighborhood in mention and it is a very nice older, well keeped neighborhood in Victoria! As a new home owner myself, I wouldn't appreciate living next to the "ag farm". Don't get me wrong, I understand teaching kids about being responsible. However, maybe the Garrett's need to consider purchasing property in the country that would be more suitable for the activities, hobbies of their children!

I understand someone complaining about the unplesant smell that would come from having hogs in the backyard.... but how is that any more malodorous than say the neighbor who keeps 4 -5 pit bulls, or labs, or rotties, or any other dog?

For crying out loud, this is a kids 4H project and not something that will be a "permanent" or persistent problem!

I don't think the laws should be changed. Should that happen fewer kids would be participating in the Jr. Livestock show, and that isn't fair. The ordinance should be updated or clarified and strictly enforced! I also think that the city council should adopt stricter ordinances in regards to those people who have 10 - 15 dogs in their backyard.... not only does that pose an assault on the olfactory, but poses health and safety issues for humans, neighboring pets and the dogs themselves...

Just a thought

Wow! Maybe I can direct the staff to make changes to the city law too! I can't enjoy my backyard (in my very very nice neighborhood) because their big huge dogs next door keep killing my little animals. Maybe I should ask that big dogs with huge killer teeth be prohibited in the city limits!

Just exactly what sort of pull does one have to "direct the staff" to do anything? I thought the "staff" was suppose to be working for the people - not the PERSON?

southtexas,
You couldn't be MORE wrong about me. Did you make any other astute judgments about me based on my short comment?
Perhaps you misconstrued or misinterpreted my words, my friend, for I never said the hogs didn't have a stench, nor did I imply it. I think I was quite clear.

It's a shame how people suddenly accuse others in these comment sections, as you've just done. You blindly accused me, without good reason or justification. And now (sigh) I suppose you might retort, saying it's your right, or it's just your opinion, or for me to get over it, whatnot, and suddenly the original topic is lost, for want to insult. Ahh.. the American way.

Some poor neighbors will have to live in the prevailing downwind from the hogs. These residents/taxpayers will lose the enjoyment of their own backyards and the ability to raise their windows to let in fresh air. I’m surprised any farm animals are allowed inside city limits.

MRACP: You are obviously not a farm boy. Hogs, no matter how clean they are kept, are just stinky creatures. It is the nature of the beast. You might be able to control the smell with meticulous care for 2 hogs, but no matter what you do 13 hogs are going to smell like a cattle auction barn....BAD!!!

I had a neighbor in NorthCrest decades ago that had a hog pen on his property for his son. It was kept neat & clean for a hog pen, but when I was down wind from his property it was smelly. I don't remember there being more than 1 or 2 hogs at a given time. Yet he chased cats off his property with rakes cause they pooed in his flower beds. Go figure.

13 hogs is too many for the city limits. He's lucky his neighbors just called the city on him.

If those hogs get out somehow, the cops will shoot them like they shot the pet chicken a few years ago, and like they shot the cow on 59 a few months ago.

I think he should be able to continue raising the hogs as long as he's in compliance, unless there's some other violation, such as an obvious stench or visual mess. If the exceptions allow for raising hogs within the city limits, apparently the issue was raised at some point in the past, otherwise, why would they allow the exceptions? It would be wrong if they change the code based merely on the fact that a few neighbors 'don't like' it.

And just because it's 'in the city limits' doesn't mean it's wrong, gross, or ridiculous. That's why the code had exceptions in the first place. Not all city limits locations are 'paved streets, businesses, stores, etc.'. There are locations fit for raising livestock, otherwise, why would the code have exceptions?

One thing I'll never understand is why some people have such a fit over such petty things. There are more important things in life to fuss over than this.

How many chickens can I raise in my back yard within the city limits?
I'd rather feed out one steer but the neighbors may not agree.

Woofers

Be upset ~~~ That's life! You are being refused just as you refuse others. After all rules are rules. Why should they be lifted for you and your children. They are lot of other 4-H FFA Members having to meet standards and regulations for their animals.

would anyone here put up with living next to someone with a hog in their backyard ?

this law needs to be changed asap.

those 13 hogs were probably cleaner than the guy living in the car

No one is going to object to a couple of hogs for the stock show.....but give me a break.....13 hogs is totally gross! And this was for only 2 kids? That is asking a bit much of even the nicest and most accomadating neighbor.

Its done all over town.
The kids learn responsibility (well, that's the goal anyways)
financial planning, and hopefully make some money. The question I would raise here would be does the ordinance restrict it to 5 hogs per residence, or 5 hogs per owner?

raising hogs inside the city limits, niiiiiiiiiiiiice