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UPDATE: Hog Vandalism at Craig Flagler Palm Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens Causes $30k in Damages

by | Aug 27, 2025 | Community | 0 comments

A group of wild hogs, including adults and piglets, forage in a grassy clearing surrounded by dense green foliage Information at the bottom shows the date, time, temperature, and camera location

By-Line: Sal Passalaqua, Jr., Area Manager/Funeral Director, Craig Flagler Palm Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens

An Update to the story has been sent in by Sal Passalaqua Jr., the Area Manager and Funeral Director at Craig Flagler Palm Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens. 20 hogs were caught on the premises, and repairs to the gardens and cemetery have begun, preparing the areas for new sod. The damages caused by these hogs were roughly $30,000.

A cemetery scene in Flagler with several headstones, grave markers, and flower arrangements on grassy plots An American flag rests beside one grave, while trees and dense greenery form the peaceful backdrop A cemetery with numerous headstones on green grass in Flagler A large, uneven patch of bare soil is in the foreground, with several damaged or fallen gravestones Trees and a white building are seen in the background under a cloudy sky A cemetery with uneven ground and patches of bare dirt among old, weathered gravestones and headstones, surrounded by green grass and trees in the background, evokes a quiet, historic atmosphere reminiscent of Flagler’s past

Over the past few weeks, our cemetery has unfortunately been impacted by wild hogs rooting through the soil in search of food. These animals can be highly destructive, and the damage has understandably raised concerns from families and the community who care deeply about this sacred space. We share those concerns.

I want to be clear: Craig Flagler Palms is committed to maintaining our grounds with dignity, respect, and care. We take this issue very seriously and have already put solutions in motion:

  • A licensed trapper was on site this week and has begun the process of baiting the hogs with corn, placed outside of the cemetery grounds, to draw them away from burial areas.
  • Cameras are being used to monitor activity so the hogs can be properly trapped and relocated.
  • Our team is also working to restore the affected areas so the cemetery continues to reflect the peace and respect it deserves.

We know how upsetting it is for families to see this type of damage, and we are being fully transparent about the challenges and the steps we’re taking to address them. This is our community cemetery, and protecting it is a responsibility we do not take lightly.

A cemetery with several fresh graves visible in the grass, headstones scattered throughout, and trees and clouds in the background on a partly cloudy day A cemetery with uprooted grass and disturbed soil in the foreground, surrounded by headstones and trees under a clear blue sky A person's shadow appears at the bottom right of the image A cemetery with several gravestones and large patches of disturbed, uneven grass, possibly due to animal activity, under a clear blue sky with trees in the background A cemetery with scattered headstones and a large area of disturbed, uprooted grass and soil in the foreground, suggesting recent damage to the ground Trees and greenery are visible in the background A cemetery lawn with patches of torn up grass and mud in the foreground Several gravestones are scattered around, and a white columbarium building stands in the background surrounded by trees Three wild pigs forage on the ground near dense green foliage in a forested area, captured by a trail camera The image shows a misty morning with the ground slightly illuminated A group of wild hogs, including adults and piglets, forage in a grassy clearing surrounded by dense green foliage Information at the bottom shows the date, time, temperature, and camera location Two wild boars walk along a dirt path surrounded by dense green shrubs and trees The timestamp on the image reads August , , at : AM, with a temperature of °F

A black and white night vision trail camera photo shows a group of deer grazing in tall grass near a wooded area The date, time, and temperature are displayed at the bottom of the image

A black and white night vision trail camera photo shows a group of deer grazing in tall grass near a wooded area The date, time, and temperature are displayed at the bottom of the image

A group of wild hogs forage at night in a forest clearing, captured by a trail camera The black and white image shows several hogs among tall grass and trees The timestamp reads //, : PM, °F

A group of wild hogs forage at night in a forest clearing, captured by a trail camera The black and white image shows several hogs among tall grass and trees The timestamp reads //, : PM, °F

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