Advocates want county to take control of animal shelter

CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. — Animal advocates in Chester County said that they're fed up with how animals are being taken care of in the county shelter.

They have now filed a lawsuit trying to force the Sheriff's Office to give control of the animal shelter to the county.

They want a judge to step in and stop the sheriff and his deputies from running the animal shelter, claiming that legally, they shouldn't be here anyway.

Jackie Kyles volunteered at the Chester County Animal Care and Control for years until she was told not to come back.

"It's sad because they're turning away people that want to help," Kyles said.

She said that she and others started asking about the numbers of animals the shelter has euthanized and are questioning how the dogs and cats were cared for.

There's been animosity between local activists and the Sheriff's Office for years.

"The animals in a shelter that have already been abused and abandoned deserve a chance to live," Kyles said.

Channel 9 was at the shelter in January when people were concerned that the dogs housed there had little protection on a bitterly cold night.

The sheriff allowed Channel 9’s camera inside to see the conditions there and county leaders stood by the sheriff, saying they were doing everything they could to keep them warm and safe.

Members of the Southern Animal Welfare League have now filed a lawsuit claiming that "No authority is provided for sheriffs or sheriff's deputies to operate an animal shelter. Therefore, the practice of Chester County to have the sheriff operate the animal shelter violates South Carolina code."

The Sheriff's Office did not comment on the litigation but it's common practice across South Carolina for county sheriffs to oversee animal control and shelters.

Kyles believes that should change.

"The workers there, the people in charge, they lack animal training," Kyles said.

The county has received a copy of the lawsuit, but neither County Supervisor Shane Stuart nor the employees at the shelter can talk about it.

Stuart did say he supports the Sheriff's Office and what they're doing there.

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