Rock Hill animal trainer charged after investigation into dog death, neglect complaint
A York County animal trainer has been arrested after a dog was found dead and other dogs as well as cats were found starved and unclean, law enforcement officials say.
Jessica Nicole Viscusie was charged Wednesday morning with three felony counts of ill treatment of animals, said Lt. Michael Chavis of the Rock Hill Police Department.
The arrest came after one dog was found dead in November, police said. Police also rescued other dogs, cats and a reptile last month from a property on Pinebranch Road where Viscusie groomed and trained animals, Chavis said.
Police had searched the property after a complaint that animals at the business smelled of urine and appeared to be hungry. Officers found several animals in what police officers allege were unclean conditions. Some animals appeared to be malnourished, officers said.
York County Animal Control officers also investigated.
Ill treatment of animals in South Carolina is defined as a person who, “tortures, torments, needlessly mutilates, cruelly kills, or inflicts excessive or repeated unnecessary pain or suffering upon an animal or by omission or commission causes these acts to be done.”
The felony charges carry as much as five years in prison for each conviction, under state law.
Trish Startup, spokesperson for York County, confirmed to The Herald there is an ongoing investigation concerning the animals, but declined to comment on the pending case.
