A South Carolina woman is facing felony charges after deputies say she left her dead dog decomposing inside a carrier on her front porch for several days before finally calling 911. Melinda Sue Heaton was arrested Thursday in connection with the case, which began when someone reported a dead animal on a South Main Street porch in Anderson County.
According to WSPA 7News, the Anderson County Sheriff's Office Animal Control Unit received the 911 call on Oct. 13 reporting a dead dog in a carrier on a front porch. Deputies who responded eventually determined that the dog belonged to Heaton herself, despite her initial account of events.
Investigators say the dog is believed to have become ill beforehand, and that Heaton never sought veterinary care for the animal. By the time she picked up the phone to call 911, the station's report notes, the dog had already begun to partially decompose inside the carrier where it had been left for days.
Woman Claimed a Stranger Left the Carrier
When deputies pressed her on how the dog ended up dead on her porch, Heaton told investigators that an unknown individual had placed the carrier containing the dog there, per the same account. That explanation did not hold up once deputies worked out that the dog was hers all along, leaving investigators to conclude she had misled both the 911 dispatcher and the responding deputy.
Heaton was taken into custody on Oct. 22 and now faces charges of felony ill-treatment of animals, unlawful use of 911, and failure to properly dispose of a deceased animal, the outlet reported. South Carolina law separately addresses misuse of the emergency line, including a provision barring the use of profane or harassing language toward a 911 dispatcher, according to the South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 23, Chapter 47, though it remains unclear exactly how that provision factors into Heaton's case.
Sheriff's Office Vows Full Investigation
The Anderson County Sheriff's Office said allegations of animal cruelty will be thoroughly investigated, according to WSPA. The agency added that people charged with crimes against animals will be held accountable throughout the criminal justice process, a statement that underscores how seriously the department says it treats cases involving animal neglect and deception toward emergency responders.
