After a Berkeley County man’s hunting dog was shot this month, he wants the public to understand the protections — or lack thereof — these animals face in South Carolina.
Hunter KJ Rhode says he was out hunting with his dogs on Wednesday in the Francis Marion National Forest when his dog Highball chased a deer and crossed onto private land. He claims that’s when Michael Trent Williams shot him.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources reports that Williams has been charged with one count of shooting and killing a hunting dog and two charges of removing dog collars. He was released from jail on bond.
“If he would’ve let my dog go 50 more yards, I would’ve had my hands on him,” Rhode told me.
But Rhode is not the only one affected. Since September 1, 2023, the SCDNR says it has issued 48 charges under the Act for dog hunting. Four of them were for intentionally killing or injuring a hunting dog.
A person who does this may face a $500 fine or 30 days in prison. However, attorney Stephan Futeral claims there is a minimum.
“It’s possible to get charged with it and suffer no penalty,” according to Futeral.
He claims that the results are at his discretion.
“You take the same case and put it in front of a different magistrate; well, you may get a completely different outcome,” Futeral told reporters.
For example, Rhode claims his friend lost his dog in a very similar incident in Sumter County last year. He claims the person convicted was only fined $125.
“I feel like it should be the same for any dog, you know?” Rhode said. “No matter if it’s a house dog or a hunting dog, any of it I feel like should be straight up, across the board.”
Futeral believes that the only way to keep this from being subjective is for South Carolina to enact a harsher statute, making the harsh results necessary.
“For magistrates to take sort of a hard stance, if you will, and be a little more uniform in their decision-making,” Futeral told the crowd.
Rhode says he only wants justice for Highball.
Williams’ court date is scheduled for December 2. He may face a $500 fine or 10 days in jail for removing the electronic dog collars on the first offense, or a $1,000 fine or 30 days in jail on the second.
“They are not just hunting dogs,” Rhode explained. “I mean, we care for these dogs every day.”
If anyone feels that hunting rules are being violated, they should contact the SCDNR’s 24/7 Operation Game Thief Hotline at 1-800-922-5431 or text an anonymous tip to 847411. Include the keyword SCDNR with the tip details.
