RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. —

A South Carolina woman is headed to prison after a tip about the "smell of death" coming from her home.

On May 22, 2022, deputies responded to the home in Richland County and immediately detected the odor of decomposing flesh.

After obtaining a search warrant, deputies said they found 30 deceased animals – 28 dogs and two cats.

All but four of the animals were locked in pet carriers or wire kennels filled with waste, indicating they had been confined for an extended period.

The remaining four were found in the home.

Due to the level of decomposition, veterinary pathologists couldn’t perform necropsies to determine the cause of death.

Authorities said the home belonged to Caroline Dawn Pennington, who at the time was also the director of the animal rescue nonp

See Full Page