Kershaw County, SC Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Section 4-3 of the county code requires all dogs to be kept under restraint or confinement; a dog that is not restrained is deemed unlawfully running at large in the unincorporated area. Section 4-1 defines 'under restraint' as a pet on its owner's premises secured by a leash, fence or similar device, or accompanied and controlled by its owner off-premises. An exception in Sec. 4-3(b) excludes dogs participating in supervised hunting, obedience trials, conformation shows, tracking tests, herding trials, or lure courses. Kershaw County Animal Control, established under Sec.

4-1, enforces the restraint requirement. An animal caught at large may be impounded under Sec. 4-14 and may only be redeemed with the animal control director's authorization and the owner's assurance of proper future care. Owners have five days to redeem an impounded dog before it becomes shelter property and can be euthanized or placed for adoption under Sec. 4-14(a) and 4-15(a). Redemption also requires payment of actual care costs, required inoculations, and, if the dog is not already altered, the spay or neuter procedure, plus a daily boarding fee set by county council.