Update to this week’s “Hometown Heroes” story

On Monday of this week, in an article in the “Morning News” and online at SCNow.com, a Myrtle Beach woman who runs a no-kill shelter for cats was profiled as part of our “Hometown Heroes” series.

Elizabeth Owen’s shelter is the Sacred Vision Animal Sanctuary on Forestbrook Road in Horry County.

Among other things, Owen said her shelter was in need of donations.  That included items for the thrift store Owen operates adjacent to the shelter, as well as supplies for the animals, volunteers and monetary donations.

After the story appeared, a reader told us in an email that the Sacred Vision Animal Sanctuary had been cited by the South Carolina Secretary of State’s office.

We checked out that claim and found it to be true.

The office told News13 on Tuesday that the Sacred Vision Animal Sanctuary has been cited four times over the past three years.

In 2006, it was fined $2.000 for soliciting but not being registered as a charity.

In both 2007 and 2008, it was fined for not filing a financial charity report.

And in May of this year, it was fined again for soliciting but not being registered as a charity.

The Secretary of State’s office says Sacred Vision Animal Sanctuary has been fined more than $5.000 since 2006 and has not paid a single cent.

It added that it has sent Sacred Vision a number of registered letters concerning the issues and that, despite the letters having been received, Sacred Vision has not responded to the requests.

Owen told News13 on Tuesday that she is working to get her paperwork together and promised to follow up with us once it is completed.