PENDLETON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) – Kentucky Conservation Officers and other agencies rounded up over 450 pigs in a hoarding situation that is among the worst in history.
According to a release from the organization, agents collected over 119 free-roaming pigs and another 350 pigs that were in pens that were inadequate to hold such a large number.
The agency began investigating after receiving complaints about the pigs from hunters and nearby residents.
Wild pigs are extremely adaptable and can thrive in a variety of habitats. They eat almost anything, robbing native wildlife of food and often preying on native animals as well. Wild pigs primarily feed by “rooting,” where they turn over the topsoil in search of roots, tubers, invertebrates, anything edible. They use an incredible sense of smell to locate food and in addition to rooting, will graze, scavenge, and predate. Their presence creates massive amounts of destruction to the land.
Agents confiscated the pigs they found roaming as well as the ones they found in the poorly constructed pen.
The investigation revealed that the same landowner had similar complaints about free-roaming pigs in 2017 and at that time was given a warning and two weeks to contain the pigs. This time, the landowner was charged with 119 counts of releasing pigs into the wild, and 119 counts of pigs/ livestock to be penned up.
The landowner will keep 30 pigs and the rest were turned over to fish and wildlife to be relocated.
