Animal rescue: Horry County dog owner leaves pet outside during storm, could face charges

Maya Brown
·1 min read
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A dog owner could face charges after a local animal rescue service accused them of leaving their puppy outside during Friday’s ice storm.

The Environmental Services officer with the Horry County Police Department took the dog to the county’s Animal Care Center, according to the rescue’s Facebook post on Friday.

It is illegal to leave animals without necessary shelter from the elements in the county, the police said in a social media post.

The wintry precipitation, which left the county with icy roads, started late Friday and ended Saturday morning.

Temperatures are expected to drop again Saturday night with lows in the 20s and teens in some places, causing some areas to refreeze, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, NC.

Officials with the animal center encourage owners who need help caring for their pets to reach out for assistance.

“There is no shame in getting help or having another person take over for you, but there are very real legal repercussions for being negligent and inhumane,” officials with the rescue said.