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

County code Sec. 10-34 makes the owner or custodian responsible for keeping a dog under restraint at all times, whether that's a leash off the owner's property, obedience to commands on the property, or a secure enclosure. On school grounds, in shopping areas, or similar public places, a leash is mandatory and the handler must keep the dog under physical control so it can't reach other people or animals. A dog that isn't restrained is legally "at-large," and any dog running at-large is a public nuisance under the county's definitions in Sec. 10-31.