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

Section 4-6(a) requires every owner to keep a dog under reasonable control and restraint at all times, and Sec. 4-6(b)(1) makes it unlawful to fail to do so or to let the dog run at large off property the owner owns, rents or controls. The at-large ban does not apply to a hunting or working dog actually engaged in hunting, training or working exercises, so long as it does not injure a person, domestic animal or livestock. Where a dog is restrained by something other than a fence or other humane enclosure, Sec.

4-6(g) sets ten specific tethering standards: the tether must be at least 15 feet long, weigh no more than ten percent of the dog's own weight, and have swivels on both ends so the dog can move without becoming entangled, ideally through a single-stake swivel system or a trolley line kept at least three feet off the ground. The tether must let the dog reach food, water and shelter, must attach to a properly fitting collar or harness, and pinch collars, choke collars or a chain directly around the dog's neck are prohibited.

Dogs under six months old, or that are sick or in distress, may not be tethered at all, and multiple tethered dogs in one area must be kept separated to prevent entanglement. A dog may never be tethered to an abandoned building or to any object off the owner's own property. A female dog in heat must be confined indoors, or on a leash held by a person if taken out to relieve herself or exercise, so as to prevent accidental breeding.