Animals seized in Horry County police investigation available for adoption Wednesday

The Horry County Animal Care Center isn’t accepting any intakes after more than 130 mistreated animals were recovered in two separate Horry County police investigations in the last week. The center is now caring for 270 animals, beyond the facility’s capacity.  

Police and animal care center staff on Thursday recovered 44 dogs, 13 chickens, 12 ducks, one mini-horse and one goat after an investigation into an alleged unlicensed grooming business on 2nd Loop Road North of Conway, according to police. 

An incident report says a large number of dogs and livestock “were found in neglectful conditions.” The suspect in the case was cited for operating a business without a license, the report said. 

On Monday, police responded to the area of Merrit Road and Fowler Road outside Conway after receiving a complaint about a large number of neglected dogs in the woods. The responding officer wrote in the report that there were numerous dogs without shelter, food or water, and some appeared sick or malnourished. Police said that investigation brought in 59 dogs, all emaciated, dehydrated and neglected. 

That incident led Horry County police to issue 47 citations to one Herbert Dozier for violating county laws on animal care and treatment, said spokeswoman Mikayla Moskov.

Starting Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., some of the animals from the unauthorized grooming investigation will be available for adoption at the Horry County Animal Care Center on Industrial Park Road in Conway, police said in an email. 

They include 38 dogs – mostly poodles – 13 chickens, 12 ducks, one mini-horse and one goat. To recover some of the cost of caring for the animals, the adoption fees are $100 for small dogs, $150 for the mini-horse, $100 for the goat and $10 for the chicken and ducks. 

To make space, some of the shelter’s adoptable animals were taken to Tamroc Kennels at 201 Bush Drive in Myrtle Beach, and are available for fee-free adoption Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Those animals are spayed, neutered, up to date on vaccines and microchipped, officials said in an email.