Leash laws

Story by Bailey Gilliam

Most dog trainers will tell you that dogs want to obey you. Structure and consistency keep them grounded and secure. But they need to know what those rules are. (Cats are an entirely different story, so we’ll bypass them for this analogy.) If you’re clear about what you expect from your dog, your household will run much smoother. Taking a bit of a leap here, the same goes for society. Everyone has a better day if we follow the rules, or laws or ordinances. We just need to know what they are. We are here to help you navigate the local and state laws that pertain to our pets. Some are well known: At the beach, dogs must be on a leash from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and under voice control from 5 p.m.-10 a.m. through September.  Some are a bit unexpected, sort of like from your dog’s perspective: staying off that super comfy couch — even when you’re gone.

So here’s your pet-owner obedience class. 

1. All pets have to have a local license. 

Yes, you read that right. According to Beaufort County’s Code of Ordinances, “It shall be unlawful for the owner of any pet to fail to provide any pet over four months of age with a current county annual or lifetime license.” Registering is free if your pets are fixed and microchipped, and if your pet is ever lost, this will ensure a quicker reunion. Register at beaufortcountysc.gov. 

2. You can’t breed pets without a license. 

If you want to breed your dog, you have to have a breeder’s license. There are fees associated with this yearly license ($100), and there are some rules.

3. Pit bulls must be fixed. 

Pitbulls are considered a restricted dog in Beaufort County. They must be fixed after 4 months old because so many end up in shelters. They are the most common breed seen in shelters because humans have given them such a bad name. Pit bulls are not aggressive dogs. Any dog is as aggressive as their owner trains them to be. If you do have one of these snuggle bugs, getting them fixed is the law. There are some exceptions to the rule, obviously.

4. You can’t leave any pets during a storm. 

This law is extremely important to the Lowcountry since we have many hurricanes and tropical storms. If a storm has a name, regardless of its status, it is illegal to leave a pet behind. It is also illegal to leave a pet tethered outside, in a home, building, cage, crate, fence, etc. during a storm. 

5. You can’t dye your pet’s hair or perform any physical alteration.

According to Beaufort County’s Code of Ordinances, “It shall be unlawful for a person to dye or color artificially any animal or fowl, including, but not limited to, rabbits, baby chickens and ducklings, or to bring any dyed or colored animal or fowl into the county.” While this law stems from the toxic dye used to color “Easter chicks,” it also comes from a darker origin. Horrible human beings who train their dogs to fight are known to dye their cat’s hair so the dog knows to attack it. 

6. Pets younger than 4 weeks cannot be given away.

If your pet has babies, you can’t give them away or sell them until they are at least 4 weeks old unless you surrender them to the Beaufort County Animal Shelter or to a licensed pet rescue organization. This all has to do with the development and survival of the babies. 

7. No pigs in Port Royal or Bluffton. 

While Beaufort County allows the possession of livestock as long as they are properly housed with food and water and confined within a fenced enclosure, the Code of Ordinances states that “No other swine or livestock shall be kept within the corporate limits of Port Royal and Bluffton except as is permissible under the municipal zoning regulations.”

8. No exotic animals or venomous reptiles.

No one can import or own exotic or venomous reptiles. An exotic animal is defined as “one which would ordinarily be confined to a zoo, one which would ordinarily be found in the wilderness of this or any other country, or one which is a species of animal not indigenous to the United States or to North America, or one which otherwise causes a reasonable person to be fearful of significant destruction of property or of bodily harm. The latter includes, but would not be limited to, such animals as monkeys, raccoons, squirrels, ocelots, bobcats, lions, tigers, bears, wolves, hybrid wolves and other such animals or one which causes zoonotic diseases.” If it’s a mascot, you have a chance.

9. No lions, tigers or bears

Until 2018, it was legal to keep large wild cats, non-native bears and great apes like chimps, gorillas and orangutans as pets in South Carolina. Thanks to the popularity of shows like Tiger King, people became more aware of the risks and ethical issues surrounding private ownership of exotic animals. If you acquired one of these animals before the 2018 law change, you’re grandfathered in, meaning your enormous pet won’t be confiscated — but their presence still raises concerns about safety and welfare.

10. It’s illegal to mess with a service dog. 

This law should be a no-brainer, but seriously, do not pet service animals if they are working, no matter how cute they are. When in doubt, ask their handler. Who knows: you may get lucky and the owner may remove their vest so you can pet them. These pets have serious, sometimes life-saving, jobs and cannot be interrupted. 

11. Chickens are free if they’re on public property.

According to the South Carolina Code of Laws, “Any person finding an ‘estray’ may take possession thereof and shall.” An ‘estray’ is “any domestic or domesticated animal found wandering at large or abandoned in the public ways or on the lands of any person other than its owner.” Basically, if you see a chicken cross the road, it can be yours, if the owner doesn’t claim it after a certain period.

12. A dog or cat under 8 weeks of age must be accompanied by its dam when imported or exported. 

Similarly to rule number six, babies need to stay with their mothers for a certain period of time. Naturally, you can’t separate them in any situation. Also, on a travel note, it is illegal to travel with any animal for more than 24 hours without a significant break. All animals need to take a break from crates or other confinements, have a place to move around and be given fresh food and water.

13. There’s no limit to how many pets you can have.

While we can’t have any animal we want as a pet, in the state of South Carolina there is no legal limit to how many pets you can have. Obviously, that differs depending on where you live, (thanks, HOAs), but as a general rule, theoretically you could have 101 Dalmatians if you care for them properly. 

14. No animals can be used in competitions or games.

We feel that this is another obvious law (animal fighting and the like are extremely cruel). But this also means that animals can’t be prized or raffled off. Maybe to those used to the old days when you could win a goldfish at the state fair, this law seems a bit odd. But really, for the safety of the animal, you can’t. 

15. There are a lot of rules about ferrets. 

Ferrets, while technically wild carnivores, are allowed as pets in the state of South Carolina. But there are a lot of rules when it comes to ferret ownership. Ferrets cannot be sold without proper and current vaccinations, and owners must keep up their vaccinations. The law also requires a warning label: “Purchasers of a domesticated ferret must be provided with a notice not less than eight inches by eleven inches which shall bear the following inscription in letters not less than three-fourths inch high: “FERRETS HAVE A PROPENSITY TO MAKE UNPROVOKED ATTACKS THAT CAUSE BODILY INJURY TO A HUMAN BEING.” Choose that pet carefully.