After nearly eight hours of often contentious testimony - replete with photographs of a marauding menagerie of livestock, diaries dating pig and goat sightings and advice for building escape-proof fences - a Carroll County farmer and his neighbors reached agreement last night on animal control.
In a deal brokered by the county Right to Farm Committee, the Schisler family must repair 300 yards of fencing that separates their Marston farm from the property of neighbors who have complained of wandering herds.
The neighbors, in turn, will refrain from shooting at errant animals. County staff will help develop a plan to eradicate any loose pigs found in the western Carroll village.
"This board does not condone citizens destroying animals unless they are in imminent danger," said committee member Barry Marsh. "We are not encouraging anyone to take matters into their own hands."
The five-member committee required all fencing repairs to be completed within 60 days.
"I have already repaired most of it so that nothing that I got can get through it," said Carroll Schisler Sr., who keeps sheep, goats, cattle and horses in his pastures.
Through two evenings of hearings before the reconciliation panel, Schisler and his son, Carroll Jr., have contended that the pigs in question were wild.
The committee unanimously agreed that the animals are feral.
"I saw what the wild pigs did to Mr. Schisler's meadow," said committee member Michael Harrison, a Woodbine beef farmer. "I would not let my own pigs do that. These pigs are feral, and they come on to the Schisler property for feed and companionship."
The elder Schisler complained to the county commissioners last month that county animal-control officers have harassed him and fined him for the animals running around in the otherwise quiet neighborhood.
Neighbors, including Agnes Lerp, have also complained to the commissioners, Humane Society and Sheriff's Department about pigs that wiggle through fencing and cause extensive damage to lawns, landscaping, house siding and cars.
"Everybody has known about these wild pigs for years," Schisler said. "This has all been a waste of my time and everyone else's."
Robert Cover, a neighboring farmer, offered his support to the Schislers.
"People come out here and want white picket fences to surround the farms like in Dallas," Cover said, referring to the old television show. "Then, they complain about the smell of manure."
