Spartanburg County officials say they seized 91 animals, including 87 cats and four puppies, and discovered 70 deceased animals at a Woodruff property last week, after an animal-welfare complaint led investigators to a home stacked with filthy, overcrowded cages. A woman has been cited on multiple counts tied to the conditions, though no criminal charges had been filed at the time officials disclosed the findings.
Welfare Complaint Triggered the Search
According to WSPA, Spartanburg County Animal Control received a report on Oct. 16 concerning a property on Greenpond Road in Woodruff. Officers obtained a search warrant and, alongside staff from the Spartanburg County Pet Resource Center, conducted a full inspection of the home and property, as reported by WYFF4. The property has been identified as 3940 Greenpond Road, per the same outlet's reporting.
Inside, officers found unsanitary conditions, excessive feces accumulation and a strong ammonia odor inside a tarp-covered structure used to house cats, officials said. Wire crates and cages were stacked two or three levels high, with multiple animals crammed into some of them, and some cages lacked solid flooring, leaving animals standing directly on wire surfaces, according to the same account.
Dozens of Animals Found Dead, Some Remains Years Old
Officials reported finding 70 deceased animals at the property, though WSPA's reporting described the figure as more than 70 dead animals recovered from the home. Investigators said some of the remains, found in freezers, may date back as far as 2023.
Of the animals found alive, initial veterinary examinations revealed that multiple cats were emaciated and suffering from serious medical conditions requiring immediate attention, officials reported. Animal control removed 87 cats and four puppies from the property in total.
Citations Issued, No Criminal Charges Yet
The woman connected to the property, Carol Ferger, was issued six counts of ill treatment and cruelty to animals, six counts involving the duties of animal owners, and three counts involving maintenance of premises, officials said. No criminal charges have been filed, according to WYFF4's reporting. Spartanburg County Environmental Enforcement has condemned the home and surrounding property.
Ferger reportedly operated the property under the name CLiFs No Kill Shelter & Rescue, which officials said is not a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. People who surrendered animals to the operation are being asked to contact the Spartanburg County Pet Resource Center for information about recovered animals and possible reunification, officials said.
Part of a Troubling Pattern in South Carolina
The Woodruff case echoes another large-scale animal welfare investigation in South Carolina this year. In Georgetown County, authorities removed 107 dogs and 11 cats from a property on Duckpond Place in July, where more than 125 dead dogs were discovered, according to the Post and Courier. That residence was also condemned following what investigators called an extensive and complex hoarding probe, and firefighters had to ventilate the house so rescuers could safely operate inside, the paper reported.
A similar case unfolded in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where an animal-hoarding investigation led to 124 cats being surrendered from a home, according to WFLA. Animal control there also reported unsanitary conditions, accumulated feces and deceased kittens inside the home; the surviving cats were later cared for at Port St. Lucie Animal Control and the Humane Society of St. Lucie County.
