Thirty animals have been found dead in the home of an animal rescue boss.
Caroline 'Dawn' Pennington is the chief executive of nonprofit animal rescue company GROWL and the animals were found at her home in South Carolina.
The 47-year-old was arrested on Friday (3 June) after handing herself in, reports The Independent.
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On 22 May, police say they received a complaint that a 'smell of death' was coming from the CEO's home.
It was soon discovered that 28 dogs and two cats were found rotting in cages.
It's been reported that the animals likely died from starvation and dehydration.
Pennington was also employed by the Kershaw County Humane Society, who were shocked by the incident.
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Taking to their Facebook page, they wrote: "Earlier today, a former Kershaw County Humane Society employee was arrested by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and charged with ill treatment of animals.
"To be clear, these events did not occur at the Kershaw County Humane Society facility.
"We were unaware of the former employee’s actions and are truly shocked and heartbroken.
"Our dedicated staff will continue with our mission to serve the lost and homeless pets of Kershaw County."
As per ABC, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said: "It’s appalling and it’s heartbreaking.
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"This is someone who was entrusted by the community to care for these animals and find them homes.
"She betrayed that trust and she betrayed the trust of these innocent animals who relied on her."
Pennington was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
Also those who made donations to GROWL within the last 12 months have been requested to contact the sheriff’s office.
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UNILAD have contacted police for a comment.
Speaking more broadly with regards to animal cruelty in the US, The Humane Society Of The United States said: "The shocking number of animal cruelty cases reported every day is just the tip of the iceberg—most cases are never reported.
"Unlike violent crimes against people, cases of animal abuse are not compiled by state or federal agencies, making it difficult to calculate just how common they are.
"However, we can use the information that is available to try to understand and prevent cases of abuse."
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They also claim that '71 percent of domestic violence victims reported that their abuser also targeted pets'.
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Topics: US News