In early November 2025, a grim scene unfolded across rural South Carolina when law-enforcement teams discovered dozens of dogs chained, injured, and abandoned in the woods. The animals, believed to have been part of an organised dog-fighting network, were rescued in a multi-county operation. This story is not just about the animals—they are the victims of a broader cycle of cruelty and crime. But it’s also a story of rescue, hope and the work of people who won’t look away.
The Raid and Rescue
On 5 November 2025, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), backed by the animal-welfare group Humane World for Animals, executed simultaneous search warrants across three properties located in Chester County and Lancaster County, South Carolina.
In total, 47 dogs and puppies were removed from the sites.
They were found tethered with heavy chains, hidden behind out-buildings, or crammed in makeshift shelters. Many were severely underweight, covered in scars, suffering from recent bite wounds and dental disease—signs consistent with organised dog-fighting operations.
Conditions Found & Evidence of Fighting
Veterinarians and rescuers reported that the dogs showed multiple indicators of abuse: infected puncture wounds, flea infestations, and malnutrition. One particularly harrowing scene included a nursing mother and her three puppies huddled inside a hutch coated in faeces.
Equipment associated with dog-fighting—such as conditioning treadmills and remnants of fighting pits—were also discovered on the premises.
Authorities emphasise that dog-fighting is rarely an isolated cruelty: it often links to other criminal activity like weapons offences, drugs and gambling.
Arrests and Legal Follow-Up
At least four individuals have been arrested in connection with the operation. Two arrests occurred in Lancaster County (for example, Zion Damir Hairston, age 22, and Nicos Kendrell Little, age 37) at a property where 21 dogs were found.
Charges include multiple counts of animal fighting or baiting, conspiracy, ill treatment of animals — and in some cases firearms and drug-related offences.
The rescue operation also uncovered equipment associated with dog-fighting: treadmills used for conditioning dogs, a broken-down fighting pit, along with evidence of broader criminal activity (weapons, drugs).
South Carolina’s 2024 “cost-of-care” law played a key behind-the-scenes role: it allows seized animals to receive needed care while legal actions proceed, reducing delays and shelter burdens
What Happens Next & Why It Matters
All 47 dogs and puppies have been relocated to a secure facility where they are undergoing medical treatment, behavioural assessments and recovery under the care of Humane World for Animals.
The operation underscores a broader problem: according to state authorities, dog-fighting networks remain active across the state, and rescuing the animals is only one part of dismantling the criminal infrastructure behind them.
For the animals rescued, the journey to rehabilitation is just beginning—but the fact that they’ve been removed from the immediate danger of chains, pits and neglect gives them a fighting chance at a new life.
Andrew Alpin from India is the Brand Manager of Doggo digest. Andrew is an experienced content specialist and social media manager with a passion for writing. His forte includes health and wellness, Travel, Animals, and Nature. A nature nomad, Andrew is obsessed with mountains and loves high-altitude trekking. He has been on several Himalayan treks in India including the Everest Base Camp in Nepal.
