GOOSE CREEK, S.C. — Authorities are investigating after 18 small dogs were abandoned near a heavily traveled Goose Creek intersection earlier this week, leaving one dead and prompting a reward for information.
The Goose Creek Police Department said it began receiving calls Monday morning, August 25, reporting more than a dozen small dogs running loose near Red Bank Road and Highway 52. Over the following days, Animal Control Officers recovered 17 chihuahua‑dachshund mixed‑breed dogs from the area and transported them to Charleston Animal Society’s Berkeley Campus in Moncks Corner for medical evaluation.
A small dog believed to be connected to the case was found dead in the roadway close to where the others were located. Authorities said the animal appeared to have been struck by a vehicle. Animal Control continues to patrol the area in case any additional dogs remain unaccounted for.
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Charleston Animal Society has announced a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and animal‑abandonment conviction of whoever is responsible. Tips can be submitted to the Goose Creek Police Department’s tip line at 843‑863‑5200 or emailed to [email protected].
“Abandoning any animal, especially a group of animals like this, is a serious crime that poses extreme dangers to not only the dogs involved, but also the public,” Charleston Animal Society Chief Operating Officer and Vice President Aldwin Roman said. “It is our hope that the community will be able to assist law enforcement in finding the individuals responsible and holding them accountable.”
Under South Carolina law, animal abandonment is defined as deserting or giving up an animal and failing to provide the necessities of life, including adequate food, water, and shelter.
Roman said the sudden influx of dogs has placed a significant strain on shelter resources. “As we work with animal control and the police to address this matter, our shelter resources are extremely strained by the sheer number of dogs entering our care all at once,” he said. He encouraged community members to consider adopting from either the Berkeley or Main Campus to help free up space and allow staff to focus on the dogs brought in from the case.
The investigation remains ongoing as officers work to determine who left the animals near the busy intersection.
