Horry County police make arrest in animal neglect case that shut down animal care center

Horry County police have arrested a Longs man in connection with the seizure of nearly 30 dogs that required emergency medical treatment.

Darryl Bellamy is charged with seven counts of failing to provide care and treatment to an animal, according to public records. He was arrested on June 3, and the charges stem from seven dogs that were found on McNeil Chapel Road, according to arrest warrants. He’s also charged with hindering officers who were executing a search warrant.

The seizure and medical care required for the animals caused the Horry County Animal Care Center to shut down on June 3 so staff could provide treatment.  

Police responded around 7 a.m. that day to Moore Road in Longs to assist the criminal investigations and “special ops” divisions in serving a search warrant, according to a police report. While establishing a permitter at the locations, officers checked on a noise they heard in the woods and found 18 dogs in one spot and four dogs in another, according to a report. Later that same day, police found another seven dogs chained up on McNeil Chapel Road, which intersects Moore Road.

According to a warrant, officers were trying to locate Nasierea Grate to serve him with a murder warrant in connection with a double homicide in Red Bluff. The warrant said that during the investigation, officers learned Grate had recently been at a residence on the 600 block of McNeil Chapel Road.

Officers went to that address and made contact with Bellamy, who said “he had not seen Grate in [several] days,” according to a warrant. “Officers secured a perimeter as Bellamy continued to deny officers entry and denied Grate’s presence, as he entered and exited the residence multiple times. After an hour Grate did exit the residence and surrender to law enforcement. In doing so, Bellamy did hinder, prevent, or obstruct officers from the execution of a lawful arrest warrant on one Nasirea Grate.” 

According to another police report, officers responding to McNeil Chapel Road also found dogs in poor condition.

There, “all the dogs appeared skinny” and their rib cages were visible through their skin, the report said. 

“All the dogs had fleas and bugs all over them,” the report continued. “One additional female pit bull mix was running loose; she had dried blood all over her fur on her back. All the dogs water buckets had dirty water.”

Police also found two chicken pens with chickens, but there was no food for the chickens, the report said. 

Police have not said if Bellamy will face additional charges for the dogs found on Moore Road. He’s also facing charges for domestic violence and damaging personal property from a May 2021 incident.