Man charged with felony animal abuse after death of multiple dogs

A man has been arrested after multiple dogs were found dead in a dumpster during a period of several weeks at the end of last year.

The series of deaths began on Nov. 15 when animal control officers in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, were alerted to the discovery of three dead pit bulls -- one adult dog and two puppies -- that were found in a dumpster inside a plastic tub that was covered in feces and urine.

“The adult female dog was starved and had a broken foot,” Myrtle Beach Police Department said in a statement released to the media. “The two six to eight-week-old puppies were drowned.”

The case went unsolved for nearly six weeks until another incident occurred on Dec. 26 when animal control officers were again called to the same dumpster. This time following the discovery of a dead 10 to 12-week-old pit bull puppy that was found in a plastic tub discarded next to the same dumpster the other three dogs were found in on Nov. 15. Authorities say the puppy had died of “illness and drowning.”

An investigation by the Myrtle Beach Police Department eventually led authorities to arrest and charge 33-year-old Raahkeem Orlando Young of Myrtle Beach following an investigation into the deaths of the animals.

“Young was connected to the case after officers located a receipt discarded with a puppy on the 26th that led officers back to Young using cameras from the store and the city traffic and street cameras,” Myrtle Beach Police Department said in a statement announcing his arrest.

Young has now been charged with four counts of felony animal cruelty and four counts of failure to properly bury animals after being taken into custody on Jan. 7.

Young was subsequently released on a personal recognizance bond later that day. A trial date has not yet been set.

The Myrtle Beach Police Department said that this is still an active investigation and ask that anybody with information pertaining to the case contact the Myrtle Beach Animal Control Unit.