This week, Tonya Taylor of Rock Hill was arrested and charged with animal cruelty.  The case wasn't a new one.  The crime she's accused of happened in Rock Hill more than three months ago, in late January.

"If we could find them, we'd prosecute them. Absolutely," said Dr. Sonya McCathey, a veterinarian for the York County Animal Shelter.

That's a common problem for animal control officers and law enforcement.  York County Animal Control told Eyewitness News that about 200 animals were abandoned countywide last year.

They believe that number could actually be much higher, because many strays are later found to be abandoned.

However, Rock Hill police made nine charges for cruelty or neglect since January 2011, and York County sheriff's deputies made 32 charges.

That's because of the challenges of finding the owners of abandoned and neglected pets.

"If we're lucky, we might have a first name to go by, but the majority of the time we don't even have that," McCathey said.

Often there's no forwarding address, and even the landlord doesn't always have the whole name or contact information of a former tenant.

In Taylor's case, Rock Hill police found a pit bull tied to a front porch with no food or water.  They believe Taylor left the dog and didn't return to the apartment.  Neighbors tried to help, and tipped police, but officers still worked several months to find her.

McCathey said the problem is a deeply rooted one. 

"We live in a throw-away society.  People don't want their pet, so they just throw it away," she said. 

Alicia Schwartz with a group called the Committee for Responsible Pet Ownership said people don't plan ahead or see a pet as a long-term commitment.

"They get a pet because it's a free puppy.  They don't think about all the responsibility or how much money it's going to cost," Schwartz said.

Experts said there are so many options for people who are no longer able to care for a pet. They can find a rescue group, call the animal shelter, or even ask for help for the cost of caring for a pet.

"Don't ever leave your pet, because they'll die a slow, painful death, and essentially you're the one killing them," Schwartz said.

Activists hope to continue education efforts in the community, as well as urge judges to impose stiffer sentences or at least higher fines on animal abusers.