Lexington County, SC Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Adopted by Ord. No. 20-29 on February 23, 2021, Division 3 of the county's animal control article defines and bans exotic animals across the unincorporated county. Sec. 10-91 defines "exotic animal" narrowly by class, order and family: within Class Mammalia it covers hippopotamuses, giraffes, all big cats except domestic cats (lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, ocelots, servals), wolves, coyotes, jackals, all bears, hyenas, rhinoceroses, gorillas and elephants; within Class Reptilia it covers water monitors, crocodile monitors and every species of crocodile, alligator, caiman and gavial. Sec.

10-92 flatly prohibits keeping, maintaining or possessing any of these animals within the unincorporated portion of the county; incorporated towns such as Lexington, Cayce, West Columbia, Irmo and Chapin set their own rules. Sec. 10-93 carves out exactly two exemptions: Riverbanks Zoo and circuses the county has approved, both only while operating in the unincorporated area. Sec. 10-94 sets the penalty at the maximum authorized under magistrate's court jurisdiction and under the general penalty at Sec. 1-8 of the county code, and gives Lexington County Animal Services authority to immediately seize a prohibited animal and hand it to an outside rescue group rather than hold it locally.

Because the ban is possession-based, owning an exotic species is itself the violation regardless of whether it has caused harm; there is no grandfather clause or permit path in the ordinance for animals already on hand when the ban took effect.