Chester County man charged with animal cruelty after dogs seized from home
A Chester County man has been charged with animal cruelty and failure to vaccinate for rabies after dozens of dogs were seized from his property, officials said.
Roy Sylvester Carter Jr., 73, of Fort Lawn, was arrested Wednesday morning and faces charges of two felony counts of ill treatment of animals, according to jail records and spokesman Grant Suskin of the Chester County Sheriff’s Office.
On Aug. 3, Chester County Animal Care and Enforcement, and deputies from the sheriff’s office, seized 51 dogs in a search following an investigation of dogs at the Berrywood Lane property, according to Chester County officials and a sheriff’s office incident report.
Felony animal cruelty in South Carolina carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine for each conviction, state law shows. The law is defined as “Whoever tortures, torments, needlessly mutilates, cruelly kills, or inflicts excessive or repeated unnecessary pain or suffering upon any animal or by omission or commission causes the acts to be done.”
Carter remains in the Chester County jail pending a bond hearing in court.
In Chester County, the animal care and enforcement division, which includes the county animal shelter, is run by the county supervisor’s office.
Three of the dogs seized have since died, said Shane Stuart, Chester County Supervisor. Two of those dogs had to be euthanized, Stuart said.
Carter also was cited for 48 Chester County ordinance violations for failure to vaccinate the animals for rabies, Stuart said.
The county animal shelter remains closed for incoming animals because of the number of animals taken into custody on Aug. 3, Stuart said. The shelter is open for adoptions if persons are seeking pets, Stuart said.
No date has been set to reopen the shelter for incoming animals, Stuart said.
This story was originally published August 12, 2020 at 10:42 AM.
