SLED Rescues 11 Dogs, Charges Richland County Man With Animal Fighting and Ill Treatment of Animals
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) announced on November 6, 2026, that it has charged Thomas Hoefer, 57, of Richland County, South Carolina, with Animal Fighting and Ill Treatment of Animals. Eleven dogs were rescued in the operation.
SLED partnered with the Richland County Sheriff's Department, the Columbia Police Department, and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). The ASPCA transported the 11 rescued dogs for medical evaluation and treatment. Photos released by SLED from the scene show a rescued dog held by a heavy chain on muddy, wooded ground, wearing a thick collar.
Hoefer was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Richland County. The case will be prosecuted by the Fifth Circuit Solicitor's Office.
SLED said its investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information about possible dogfighting in South Carolina can submit a tip to SLED by emailing [email protected]. (Source: South Carolina Law Enforcement Division)
Source: South Carolina Law Enforcement Division
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：南卡罗来纳州执法局公布的行动现场照片，一只被救的狗被粗重锁链拴在泥泞的林地里。南卡罗来纳州执法局。 / Photo: A rescued dog held by a heavy chain on muddy ground, in a photo released by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
