SUMTER, S.C. — A Sumter man is facing multiple animal cruelty charges after police found several malnourished dogs and one dead behind a vacant home.

Officers say they responded Saturday to a Willow Drive residence, where they discovered the dogs chained outside. Police said the animals appeared emaciated, with only one dog having been given food recently and no clean water available.

Authorities say they contacted the owner, identified as 43-year-old Herbert Linwood Butler of Willow Drive, who arrived at the residence and was taken into custody.

One of the dogs recovered on Saturday has since died.

Butler is charged with failure to bury and six counts of ill treatment of animals.

Butler was booked into the county detention center, where he remained as of Monday morning. Police say th

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