Dorchester County, SC Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Dorchester County regulates dangerous animals by conduct, not breed. Section 4-2 defines a dangerous animal as one that has shown a propensity to attack, has attacked a person or animal without provocation, or was trained to attack on command; no breed is named or banned. This tracks South Carolina's state framework: S.C. Code Section 47-3-710(A) provides that an animal is not a dangerous animal solely by virtue of its breed or species. Once an animal is deemed dangerous, Section 4-11 requires the owner to register it with animal control, carry at least $50,000 in liability insurance for the animal's life, and confine it in a secure enclosure posted with a warning sign.