Charleston County, SC Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- No breed bans
- Breed or species alone cannot make a dog "dangerous"
- Registration bond
- $50,000 liability insurance or surety bond required
- Confinement
- Locked, marked, escape-proof pen required on owner's property
- First-offense penalty
- Up to $200 fine or 30 days jail
- Attack-on-person penalty
- Up to $5,000 fine or 3 years, first offense
- Destruction order
- Court may order euthanasia if animal remains a threat
Summary
South Carolina law forbids Charleston County from labeling a dog dangerous by breed alone. Instead, S.C. Code § 47-3-710 defines a "dangerous animal" by documented conduct, unprovoked attacks or a fighting history, and every dangerous-animal owner must register with local law enforcement, carry a $50,000 liability bond, and keep the animal in a locked, marked enclosure.
(A) As used in this article "dangerous animal" means an animal of the canine or feline family: (1) which the owner knows or reasonably should know has a propensity, tendency, or disposition to attack unprovoked, cause injury, or otherwise endanger the safety of human beings or domestic animals; (2) which: (a) makes an unprovoked attack that causes bodily injury to a human being and the attack occurs in a place other than the place where the animal is confined as required by Section 47-3-720; or (b) commits unprovoked acts in a place other than the place where the animal is confined as required by Section 47-3-720 and those acts cause a person to reasonably believe that the animal will attack and cause bodily injury to a human being; (3) which is owned or harbored primarily or in part for the purpose of fighting or which is trained for fighting. (B) "Dangerous animal" does not include: (1) an animal used exclusively for agricultural purposes; or (2) an animal which attacks a person who is trespassing... (C) An animal is not a "dangerous animal" solely by virtue of its breed or species.
Full Breakdown
C. Code § 47-3-710(C) states plainly that "an animal is not a 'dangerous animal' solely by virtue of its breed or species," so Charleston County cannot adopt a breed-specific ban or declare a dog dangerous on breed alone. The article instead defines a "dangerous animal" as one of the canine or feline family that the owner knows has a propensity to attack unprovoked, that has already made an unprovoked attack causing bodily injury off the owner's property, or that is owned or trained for fighting (§ 47-3-710(A)).
Animals used exclusively for agriculture and animals that attack a trespasser are excluded (§ 47-3-710(B)). Once an animal meets that definition, § 47-3-720 requires it be kept confined indoors or in a securely enclosed, locked and clearly marked pen designed to keep out children and prevent escape; § 47-3-730 bars taking it beyond the owner's premises unless safely restrained and registered under § 47-3-760(E). 00 covering injuries the animal might inflict; the county then issues a metal license tag and certificate that must stay on the animal's collar at all times.
Owning or training an animal for fighting is separately banned under § 47-3-740, and § 47-3-750 lets a law enforcement agent or animal control officer petition to seize and impound a dangerous animal while a violation case is pending, or seize it immediately if it is loose in violation of the confinement rule. A dangerous animal that attacks may be ordered destroyed if the court finds it "represents a continuing threat of serious harm" (§ 47-3-760(C)), and the convicted owner must pay all resulting shelter, veterinary and destruction costs (§ 47-3-760(D)).
Violations & Fines
A first violation of the confinement or restraint rules, or an attack on a domestic animal, is a misdemeanor carrying up to a $200 fine or 30 days in jail; a repeat offense raises the fine to $1,000 with none of it suspendable (§ 47-3-760(A)). If the dangerous animal attacks and injures a person, a first offense becomes a misdemeanor punishable by up to $5,000 or three years, and a second such offense is a felony carrying up to $10,000 or five years (§ 47-3-760(B)).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Charleston County ban pit bulls or another specific breed?
What must an owner do once a dog is declared dangerous?
What penalty applies if a registered dangerous dog still attacks someone?
Who pays if a dangerous animal is seized and later destroyed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston County
How Charleston County compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Charleston County to another location·View the South Carolina animal ordinances overview
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