A new Ohio law designed to control the spread of feral swine has been permanently blocked by an Adams County judge, who ruled that the legislation infringes on constitutional protections for property owners.
As first reported in Gongwer, Adams County Common Pleas Judge Brett Spencer granted a permanent injunction against House Bill 503, a measure passed unanimously during the 2024 lame duck session. In his ruling, Judge Spencer found that the law’s language was overly broad and vague, effectively criminalizing the possession and transport of all pigs—not just feral or wild swine.
The lawsuit was brought by Shawnee Ridge Hunting and its owner, Paul Richter. Shawnee Ridge, located in Adams County, is one of southern Ohio’s largest hunting preserves, offering guided hunts for boar, hogs, fallow deer, red stag, Corsican ram, and Texas dall. Founded in 1973, the family-owned preserve promotes its rugged Appalachian terrain as a destination for experienced hunters.
The court agreed with the plaintiffs’ argument that the law amounted to “an enormous uncompensated take of private property,” and said enforcement could expose law-abiding owners to extreme penalties—up to 20 years in jail and $40,000 in fines.
“The Court finds that H.B. 503 contains ill-conceived terminology that is overly and fatally broad/vague, and is unconstitutional,” Judge Spencer wrote. He said the law failed to draw a rational connection between its wide-reaching prohibitions and the goal of eliminating feral swine populations.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office defended the law in court, arguing that it complies with both the state and U.S. constitutions and serves a legitimate public interest. The AG’s office also contended the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the suit.
The Ohio Pork Council, which strongly supported the legislation, was granted intervenor status in the case. The organization warned that feral swine pose a significant threat to Ohio’s pork industry, with risks ranging from disease transmission to serious damage to farmland and ecosystems.
HB 503 was sponsored by Representatives Bob Peterson (R-Sabina) and Don Jones (R-Freeport), and received broad bipartisan support in the General Assembly. Lawmakers described the law as a preventive strategy to avoid the uncontrolled feral swine infestations seen in states like Texas, Georgia, and Arkansas.
“These are not the typical, everyday pig that we see at our county fairs,” Rep. Peterson said during testimony, according to Gongwer Ohio.
The only critic to testify during committee hearings was Woodland Urban Farm LLC owner Wayne Shingler, who raised concerns that the law could interfere with sustainable garbage-feeding practices for swine.
With the law now halted, the future of Ohio’s feral swine strategy is uncertain. Lawmakers could choose to amend the statute, or the state could pursue an appeal. For now, the decision underscores the legal tightrope between environmental protection and the rights of private businesses and landowners.
