Animal hoarders beware, county police to crack down on puppy mills

County officials have the authority to inspect dog and cat breeders to prevent cruelty to animals and shut down puppy mills, they’ve just not been doing it.

That’s according to Horry County Police Chief Joseph Hill, who told the county council’s Public Safety Committee on Tuesday that officials “had not been following the letter of the ordinance” and there has been a “lack of inspections of licensed breeders.”

That’s about to change, Hill said.

“We are currently investigating best practices across the country on how to inspect these facilities and we will provide training to our environmental services officers, then we will go out and do the inspections,” Hill said.

Six local pet stores that deal with pet breeders have already been identified in the county for inspections, Hill said.

Breeders are identified as anyone who sells 25 or more dogs or cats during a 365 day period.

The ordinance would also apply to pet stores, Hill said.

“It doesn’t have to be a breeder but anyone who receives a dog and then sells them would be subject to inspection,” Hill said.

“One caveat with that is we may have some illegal breeders out there who don’t show up on our radar because they don’t have a license, and we rely on the public’s tips so we will go out and investigate those cases and close out those illegal operations,” Hill said.

Several animal activists attending the meeting thanked Hill afterward for cracking down on puppy mills, and offered to help with tips they receive on those operating without a license or improperly caring for their animals.

“We’re really concerned about the ones that are breeding out there illegally,” Hill said.

The county council passed an ordinance cracking down on breeders in 2015 after several puppy mill were uncovered in the Conway and Loris area.

Nearly 150 dogs were seized from the former owner of the Pet Safari, and she was charged with failing to provide proper care and treatment of the animals, reportedly living in deplorable conditions.

Days later, 37 dogs and two birds were removed from another Conway home. In Loris, a woman had 19 of her 37 dogs removed for violating the county’s rabies policy.

This story was originally published September 25, 2017 at 5:53 PM with the headline "Animal hoarders beware, county police to crack down on puppy mills."