CHESTER -- The Chester County Animal
Control director was charged Thursday with attending an illegal hog-dog
fight in Richburg.
Vicky Stultz Land, 47, of 2541 Knox Station Road was charged with
animal fighting and baiting, and misconduct in office, according to the
State Law Enforcement Division.
She was booked at the Chester County Detention Center and released
later Thursday on two personal recognizance bonds set at $30,000.
SLED Inspector Richard Hunton said Land's arrest is part of an
ongoing investigation of feral hog and dog fighting. However, he
declined to comment about other possible arrests.
Land is accused of violating her duty as a county official by
attending a hog-dog fight on Oct. 16 at a lumber yard in Richburg, her
arrest warrants said. She also was present as preparations were made for
a hog-dog fight, according to the warrants.
Land could not be reached for comment Friday evening.
Chester County Sheriff Robby Benson said Friday that he was aware
that Land's arrest would be made by SLED officials.
Land's bond on the animal fighting or baiting charge was set at
$20,000. The bond on the misconduct charge was set at $10,000.
She will prosecuted by the state attorney general's office as part of
an animal fighting task force. The task force is made up of the attorney
general's office, SLED, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals and local law enforcement.
Land was arrested less than a week after three Fort Lawn residents
were charged with cruelty to animals in an illegal animal fighting
operation. The group is accused of pitting dogs against pigs in staged
fights.
The arrests also stemmed from an Oct. 16 "hog-dogging" event at a
Richburg lumber yard, according to warrants.
Authorities seized 95 dogs and 15 hogs and arrested Arthur Parker
Sr., 47, his son, Arthur Parker Jr., 20, and Mary Evans Luther, 50, all
of 1555 Mount Vernon Drive. The three, who have been released on bond,
face felony animal fighting and baiting charges.
Arthur Parker Sr. is suspected of organizing hog-dogging events at
his home and across South Carolina in which hogs are placed into pens
and chased by dogs until they are subdued to the ground.
Staging fights between pit bulls and captured hogs is illegal under
the laws prohibiting animal fighting in South Carolina.
There are 12 active cases against suspected dogfight organizers, with
more investigations expected over the coming months, a spokesman for the
state Attorney General's Office said this week.
Denyse Clark • 329-4069
dclark@heraldonline.com
