Summerville woman sentenced to prison for animal neglect | News

WALTERBORO — A Colleton County judge sentenced a woman to prison on several counts related to animal neglect after she pleaded guilty earlier this week.

Kimberly Couture of Summerville has kept dozens of animals in poor living conditions at her Healing Hearts from Sole to Soul rescue center in Cottageville. Colleton County Animal Control took custody of 61 animals, some of which were found in poor health, on the property after serving a warrant on May 26, 2022.

The animals had little or no shelter and only access to dirty water. Animal control discovered at least two dead animals along the fence of a neighboring property.

Among the animals seized were dogs, goats, cats, horses, chickens and a calf, according to animal control.

On May 21, almost two years to the day after the warrant was served, Couture was sentenced by Colleton County Magistrate Judge Elbert O. Duffie on 39 counts of failure to provide care to animals and one count of failure to dispose of a dead animal.

Duffie sentenced Couture to 10 days in jail for negligence, and he fined him $200 for improperly burying or disposing of a dead animal.

“Our staff and many volunteers worked several hours a day for weeks to feed and provide medical care and improve the animals' living conditions until they could all be removed and new homes could be found “It was truly a team effort,” Colleton County said. said Animal Services Director Laura Clark in a press release.

Animal Control Officer Paul Martin, who Clark praised for collecting, organizing and presenting evidence in this case, said, “In court, we don't always get the verdict or sentence we want, but every guilty charge is an animal that is now in custody. a better home, to be loved.