Berkeley County, S.C.—Humane World for Animals, formerly called the Humane Society of the United States, is assisting the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office in the rescue of over 40 dogs and puppies from an alleged cruelty situation which involves conditions commonly seen in dogfighting operations. Charleston Animal Society also assisted on scene.
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office served a search and seizure warrant in rural South Carolina around 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 11. Humane World for Animals responders joined authorities on the wooded property, where they were greeted by numerous dogs on heavy chains. Some of the dogs were standing in inches of stagnant water from recent rainfall, flooding the areas where their chains were affixed to the ground. Several other dogs and 15 puppies were contained in hutches.
Veterinarians noted that many of the dogs were suffering from painful, inflamed paws, apparently from standing in waste-contaminated water for several weeks. Some of the dogs have scarring on their faces and legs, which veterinarians noted appear to be consistent with organized dogfighting.
“It’s heartbreaking to see dogs anchored to flooded chain spots with no escape from the wet—the water they are standing in has been stagnant for so long there are tadpoles swimming around their paws,” said Janell Gregory, South Carolina state director, Humane World for Animals. “The number of puppies on this property is striking—I’m thankful we are getting them out of this situation before more dogs are created to languish here. We are grateful to the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office for intervening to get these dogs the help they need.”
“This investigation is a powerful example of what can be accomplished when law enforcement and animal welfare organizations work together to protect those who cannot protect themselves,” Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis stated. “In Berkeley County, we take animal cruelty seriously. I am extremely proud of our investigators for the work they have put into this case. Our Sheriff’s Office will continue to take allegations of animal cruelty seriously, thoroughly investigate them and hold those responsible accountable under the law.”
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office investigator for this case has attended multiple law enforcement trainings offered by Humane World for Animals in recent years, underscoring the value of the organization’s work to support officers through animal crime investigation education and training in addition to boots on the ground assistance with rescue operations. Since 2021, Humane World for Animals has provided over 70 trainings to 20,000 law enforcement professionals in South Carolina through its Law Enforcement Training Center. These trainings are offered at no cost and include courses on investigating animal cruelty and fighting, police and dog encounters, equine cruelty investigations, and animal abuse and violent crime.
Humane World for Animals has assisted law enforcement agencies with the rescue of over 250 dogs from conditions consistent with dogfighting across 15 properties in South Carolina, Indiana and Florida since June 2025.
Humane World for Animals transported the dogs to a safe, confidential location where responders and volunteers are providing much-needed care and treatment.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Large-scale rescue operations are made possible in part by the unanimous 2024 passage of South Carolina’s cost-of-care law, which requires that the owner of animals seized by law enforcement either pay for animal care or relinquish the animals so they can be adopted. Without such measures, animals seized by law enforcement agencies are required to be held for months or years while criminal cases are prosecuted, imposing a prohibitive cost on law enforcement agencies, animal protection organizations and taxpayers in the state. Humane World for Animals works to advance cost-of-care legislation in states throughout the U.S. to remove that significant obstacle in the enforcement of animal protection laws.
Humane World for Animals’ Law Enforcement Training Center provides training to thousands of law enforcement officers each year on investigating and prosecuting illegal animal cruelty and fighting. Trainers are former and current law enforcement with expertise in animal abuse crimes. Trainings address illegal cruelty and fighting crimes, investigatory techniques, applicable state and federal laws and tips for successful prosecutions. Every law enforcement professional trained becomes part of a growing network committed to addressing animal crimes more effectively.
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office is leading this investigation and would be best suited to speak to any potential charges or arrests.
These animals are not available for adoption at this stage. We are focused on addressing their immediate needs at this time and will share updates as more information becomes available.
The animals are being moved to a safe location to receive treatment and much-needed TLC. We keep the location of animals rescued as part of law enforcement seizures confidential for the safety and security of the animals as well as that of our team on the ground.
We always hope to see positive outcomes and a new beginning for the animals we rescue, while recognizing that they have often endured a lot in terms of trauma, wounds and other health challenges. At this stage, we are focused on providing a safe environment for these dogs to decompress as we identify and address their immediate needs while providing expert care.
Dogfighting causes severe and often fatal injuries and egregious suffering, including severe bruising, deep puncture wounds and broken bones. Dogs used in such events often die of dehydration, infection, blood loss, exhaustion or shock, hours or even days after the fight. The dogs used in organized dogfighting operations are specifically bred and conditioned for fighting, which is only the beginning of a lifecycle of abuse and mistreatment.
Around the globe, Humane World for Animals has seen that these spectacles of cruelty have often been found to co-occur with other crimes related to weapons, violence, gambling and illegal drugs. In South Carolina, fighting dogs or possessing, training, selling, buying, delivering, receiving or transporting dogs intended for use in dogfighting is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
