CASE UPDATES

Update 10/2/2026: Spartanburg County Solicitor’s Office has requested a psychiatric evaluation on the second teenager charged – the defendant who actually shaved Ginger. Once that evaluation has been completed, the Judge will render a sentence.

Update 8/18/2026: AV has spoken with authorities and received the following update: the matter is currently with the Spartanburg County Solicitor’s Office and is pending trial in Juvenile Court because the individuals involved are minors. The Greer Police Department has also reportedly charged a separate individual in connection with this incident. Because the case remains pending and involves juvenile defendants, authorities cannot provide further information at this time regarding the alleged charges or any eventual disposition. We sent our letter of intent in- Action followed! Another girl was charged. Thank you to all of you who continue to sign this petition!

Update 7/24/2026: We have now learned through a victims advocate who has been in contact with Ginger’s owner that a second girl has been charged with ill treatment and cruelty to animals. Because the individuals involved are juveniles, we are limited in what information can be made public. We will share every detail we are legally permitted to share as this case moves forward.

Update 7/1/2026: We have learned today there is a torture charge pending. Details are still unknown as this is still an active investigation.
Watch our podcast as we dive deep into the case: https://youtu.be/tJlEJnAbF54
SC Code §47-1-40 — felony animal cruelty — covers torture, torment, mutilation, cruel killing
Penalty: mandatory minimum 180 days, up to 5 years, up to $5,000 fine
Applies to juveniles — sealed Family Court, but charges and consequences are real and could occur.

Update May 27, 2026: We have received word there is still an active investigation. Great news!

Update May 19, 2026: Justice for Ginger: Our letter to Solictor Barnett: 
Posted by Janelle Babington, Animal Victory
To our nearly 22,000 supporters, we have an update.
Over the course of one month, I personally contacted more than 20 elected officials and government representatives across two counties, including council members, mayors, sheriffs, animal control officers, a congresswoman, and the prosecuting attorney’s office. Every one of these officials was contacted on multiple occasions, at minimum two to four times, through formal written letters, repeated phone calls, and direct email correspondence that also included our attorney. Animal Victory hand-delivered 500 printed pages of the signed petition directly to Congresswoman Nancy Mace’s office and the Spartanburg County Council so that no one could claim they had not seen it.
On May 19, 2026, I was informed through a third party, not by any official, that the prosecutor had concluded his review of the case of the three teenage girls who stole Ginger, tortured him on video, posted that video to Snapchat, and returned him dead in a trash can.
One girl received a petit larceny charge, a petty theft charge, for stealing the cat.
The other two received nothing that we know of as no one will communicate with us. The mayor said it wasn’t his problem in so many words.
No animal cruelty charges. No felony charges under SC Code §47-1-40, which provides for up to five years in prison for exactly this kind of deliberate, filmed torture. Nothing that reflects what was done to Ginger, or what was done to the woman who loved him for 12 years.
I was never contacted by the prosecutor’s office. I found out through a third party. And when I wrote to Solicitor Barry Barnette and every official I had contacted since March demanding answers, not one of them replied. Not to me. Not to our attorney.
Ginger’s owner has received zero communication from any official. Zero restitution. Zero acknowledgment that she exists.
This is not over.
I am bringing this story to The Animal Court Podcast and I want you there.
I will be laying out the full timeline, naming every official who stayed silent, discussing the laws that were ignored, and asking the questions that no one in power will answer. I have a special guest joining me who is fighting for stronger animal welfare enforcement at the highest levels.  We are expected to receive Ginger’s Necropsy report around July 13, 2026 and we will share the results. We have also requested the FOIA documentation on May 20. We have also received word that this case IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION and one girl is being charged. The case has not yet come to court.
Stay tuned and sign up to be notified the moment the episode goes live: The Animal Court Podcast
Because 22,000 voices do not go quiet. We get louder.
Janelle Babington, CEO and Petitioner, Animal Victory

Update 5/12/2026 Where We Stand on Justice for Ginger Animal Victory has spent countless hours fighting for Ginger and for Maggie McClinton, and we want our supporters to know exactly what we have done and where things stand today.
Since this petition launched, our team has made repeated phone calls and sent formal correspondence on March 20, April 8, and April 14, 2026 to the following officials and agencies: Greer City Council, Greer Police Department, Greer Police Chief Matthew Hamby, Spartanburg County Animal Control, Spartanburg County Sheriff Bill Rhyne, Spartanburg County Administrator Cole Alverson, Spartanburg County Public Information Officer Graham McLellan, Spartanburg City Mayor Jerome Rice, and the office of Congresswoman Nancy Mace. We have also engaged Maria Proietti, Esq., a New York attorney and member of the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Animals and the Law, who helped secure an indictment in the nationally covered Cody Roberts wolf pup torture case. Attorney Proietti has been actively corresponding with officials on this case on Animal Victory’s behalf.
Why this case is so difficult:
Ginger was stolen from his owner’s front porch in Greer, South Carolina, which falls under Greer Police jurisdiction. But the torture and killing took place at a location within Spartanburg County, a separate jurisdiction. Because the crime crossed two jurisdictions, and because the perpetrators are juveniles, we are facing extraordinary barriers. In South Carolina, juvenile proceedings are subject to strict confidentiality requirements. Spartanburg County Administrator Cole Alverson confirmed to us that the case has been filed with Family Court, but under state law, virtually no details can be released publicly. Even our attorney’s formal inquiry asking only whether charges have been filed and whether psychological intervention is being considered has gone unanswered.
Where we stand now:
We have not stopped. Attorney Proietti’s most recent letter was sent on May 9, 2026, directly to Spartanburg County officials, and we are awaiting a response. We will continue pushing for answers and will update you the moment we receive them.
Ginger deserved better. Maggie deserves answers. And nearly 22,000 of you deserve to know that Animal Victory will continue to do everything within our power to pursue justice for Ginger and to hold those responsible accountable.

Update 4/22/2026: PETITION UPDATE: Justice for GingerTo our incredible 21,500+ supporters:Thank you for standing with us and demanding justice for Ginger. We want to assure you that Animal Victory is actively and relentlessly pursuing this case, and we will not back down until those responsible are held fully accountable. Here is what we are doing on your behalf:•We have formally submitted all correspondence and your signatures to the City of Greer Mayor, City Council, and Police Chief.•We have formally submitted the same to Spartanburg County Animal Control, the Sheriff, and the County Administrator.•We have now escalated this case to the federal level by officially contacting the office of Congresswoman Nancy Mace to request her support and influence in demanding transparency and maximum charges.We are currently awaiting formal replies from all parties involved. Please know that we are monitoring this investigation closely, we have local advocates on the ground, and we will continue to follow up with every single official until we get the answers-and the justice-that Ginger and his devastated owner deserve.Thank you for being Ginger’s voice. Please continue to share this petition so we can keep the pressure on!- The Animal Victory Team

Update (March 19):
On March 19, Animal Victory was in direct communication with Supervisor David Jorgensen of Spartanburg County Animal Control regarding Ginger’s case. Authorities confirmed that they have received our petition and that the investigation is ongoing, while acknowledging the public’s concern.
While details cannot yet be released to protect the integrity of the case, officials state they are actively collecting and analyzing evidence in coordination with appropriate agencies. Animal Victory will remain in direct contact for updates and will continue to monitor this case closely while pushing for full accountability.
Please continue signing and sharing this petition to ensure authorities see the full weight of public demand for justice.

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