Three dogs with one name - Bocephus - arrived in Aiken on Thursday afternoon to find their forever homes.
The dogs - a female German shepherd and a female and male bluetick coonhounds - had been found with their muzzles taped shut from their noses to just under their eyes Tuesday in Plum Branch in McCormick County. The dogs, which had been chained to a wall on the back porch of home, were surrounded by feces with no food or water nearby.
The SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare on Willow Run Road in Aiken agreed to shelter the dogs, and after they are examined, spayed or neutered and socialized, they should be ready for adoption.
"The prognosis is good," said Barbara Nelson, president and CEO of the Albrecht Center. "They've been briefly psychologically evaluated by our director of enrichment and training, Ann Kinney, and they seem to be good dogs. They seem to be fine psychologically."
Next, the center's veterinarian will evaluate the dogs physically, vaccinate them and give them any treatment they might need.
"They seem to be very adoptable," Nelson said. "We'll just need to find out how the medical tests come out. Then, we'll socialize them, find out who the best adopter would be and start searching for adopters."
Nelson said the shelter's trainer can help dog owners who are having problems, such as barking, with their pets.
"Some people just don't seem to understand animals very well," she said. "I don't know all the details of this case, but it seems to me that there are better ways to come to a barking solution than to tape your dogs' muzzles shut.
"If you have a problem with your dog, give us a call and talk to our trainer. Maybe she can solve your problem a lot easier than you think."
Because of the expense of caring for the three dogs, the Center, a nonprofit, no-kill shelter, would welcome donations, Nelson said.
"If anybody cares to help with that expense, that would be just great," she said. "They can make donations online on our website at www.letlovelive.org."
David Rollinson, president of the Humane Society of McCormick County, worked with the sheriff's department there to rescue the dogs and transport them to Aiken.
"It's a good day," he said. "We had to go in and get them out of their environment. All in all, it ended up a happy story."
Rollinson said he expects the owner to face charges for the abuse.
"We don't know what the charges are right now," he said.
"Law enforcement is supposed to meet with the solicitor today to get a warrant for his arrest."
Nelson said she is optimistic about the three Bocephuses futures.
"Our staff will dedicate their time to making sure these animals are adopted to the right home," she said.
A native of Aiken, Larry Wood is a general assignment reporter.
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