2 charged after 10 dogs found dead, 26 more sick, hungry in Lancaster, sheriff says
Two Lancaster County people have been charged after officials found 10 dead dogs and another 26 animals sick and malnourished, deputies said.
Steppes Stagvelt Starwolf, 62, and Stevie Jenna Starwolf, 53, both of 4080 Pageland Highway, are charged with ill treatment of animals, according to police and court records.
Lancaster County Animal Control officers and Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office deputies went to the Pageland Highway home late last week and found 10 dog carcasses in trash bags, said Sheriff Barry Faile. Officials found 25 dogs and a cat that had no access to food or water, Faile said.
Some dogs were in cages that had animal feces covering the floors, Faile said. Three of the dogs were puppies, Faile said.
The dogs were all Husky breed, Faile said.
“Some of the officers involved on this call described the conditions of the animals and the home as the worst they’d ever seen,” Faile said Monday.
Animal control seized all the surviving animals, Faile said. The sick animals received veterinary care, Faile said.
Felony ill treatment of animals carries a penalty of up to five years in prison under South Carolina law. The law defines the crime 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, is guilty of a felony.”
Both suspects were also cited by officials under Lancaster County animal laws for failure to vaccinate animals for rabies, and failure to bury dead animals, Faile said.
The suspects were released from the Lancaster County jail after posting $10,000 bail, records show.
No trial date has been set.
