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

Greenwood County Code § 11-1-2 governs dogs in the unincorporated county. Subsection (e)(2) makes it unlawful for an owner to keep a vicious or unruly dog unless it is under restraint by a fence, chain, or other means so the dog cannot reach persons not on land owned, leased, or controlled by the owner. "Owner" is defined broadly in subsection (d) to include anyone who claims a property right in the dog, keeps it, cares for it, or lets it sleep and eat on the person's premises for at least four consecutive days and nights.

The ordinance was enacted under S.C. Code 1976 § 4-9-30(14) and § 47-3-20, which authorize county councils to regulate dogs and set penalties. Any law enforcement officer, including the animal control officer, may issue a courtesy summons on personal observation of a violation, and any citizen may sign a warrant. A dog picked up for violating this section can be quarantined by the animal control officer; the owner must show current rabies inoculation and pay a quarantine fee before the dog is released, and an unclaimed dog held 21 days may be humanely destroyed or turned over to an animal-care organization.

The section applies only to owners who keep dogs on property within the unincorporated areas of Greenwood County; the City of Greenwood and the towns of Ninety Six, Ware Shoals, Hodges, and Troy enforce their own separate rules.