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No horses have been attacked in Polk County

UPSTATE, S.C.—There have been three incidences over the last week of horses believed to be stabbed in the Campobello and Landrum areas. 

Polk County Animal Control Officer Patti Lovelace said Monday that there have been no incidences related to the South Carolina incidences occur in Polk County. 

Lovelace said there have been three incidents reported so far in Greenville and Spartanburg counties in South Carolina. She said the first incident was in Campobello and the other two were in Landrum. The distant between all three incidences is about four miles. 

There was a recent incident in Tryon where a horse died, but the cause of death was determined to be the horse being paled on a fence and was not determined to be any type of attack. 

There is a $1,000 reward being offered for information regarding Craig Howell’s horse in Spartanburg County, who is believed to have been stabbed and had to be euthanized. 

Howell lives on Spencer Creek Road and said his horse was found last Monday morning with deep stab wounds. His wife discovered the horse injured around 7 a.m. Howell and an official with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources said they do not believe the wounds are from another animal. 

Spartanburg County Environmental Enforcement Department Director Jamie Nelson said they received a call from Howell last Tuesday saying Howell believes the injuries occurred sometime late Sunday into Monday morning. Nelson said due to the unusual circumstances the case was turned over to the Senior Animal Control Officer, who visited the site on Nov. 7 to gather evidence. 

Three days after the first incident, a second horse attack was reported in Campobello, where two horses were cut on their legs while in a pasture during the day. 

Horse owners in the area are urged to keep their horses in barns until the case can be solved. Both Spartanburg County and Greenville County animal control officers are investigating. Polk County is working with South Carolina authorities to offer any help. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement last week saying that it has received numerous inquiries regarding several reported attacks on horses in neighboring communities but there have been no reports of attacks to any horses or other livestock in Polk County. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office asked anyone who may know information regarding the incidents to contact Spartanburg County Animal Control at 864-467-3950. If anyone notices suspicious activity in Polk County, people can call the communication center non-emergency number at 828-894-0187. To report an emergency, always call 911.