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Pageland, SC Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Requires
Registration with the animal control officer
Covers
Poisonous reptiles and dangerous wild carnivores
Seizure
Court order under §4-65 if unregistered
Insurance
$50,000 bond for classified dangerous animals
Default penalty
Up to $500 fine / 30 days (§1-7)

Summary

Pageland does not ban exotic pets outright, but Town Code Section 4-66 requires anyone keeping a poisonous reptile or dangerous carnivorous wild animal to register it with the animal control officer first. Unregistered wild or venomous animals can be seized under the chapter's dangerous-animal provisions.

No person shall keep or maintain within the town any poisonous reptiles or dangerous carnivorous wild animals, without first having registered such animals or reptiles with the animal control officer.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 1).

Full Breakdown

Section 4-66, part of Chapter 4's Article III on dangerous animals, makes it unlawful to keep or maintain any poisonous reptile or dangerous carnivorous wild animal within the town without first registering that animal or reptile with the animal control officer. The registration duty sits alongside the article's broader dangerous-animal scheme: Section 4-61 separately bans owning or harboring a dangerous animal generally, defined in Section 4-1 to include any animal with a known propensity to attack unprovoked or one that has already attacked a person or pet without provocation, though that general ban carves out guard dogs and attack dogs.

A law enforcement agent or animal control officer with probable cause to believe a Section 4-66 registration requirement is being violated can petition a court with jurisdiction to seize and impound the animal while a case is pending, under Section 4-65(a). 00 covering personal injuries the animal might inflict. 00 or 30 days in jail for each day the violation continues.

Violations & Fines

Keeping a poisonous reptile or dangerous carnivorous wild animal without registering it under Section 4-66 exposes the owner to seizure and court-ordered impoundment under Section 4-65, plus the chapter's general penalty in Section 1-7: a fine of up to $500.00, up to 30 days in jail, or both, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. A dangerous animal classification adds a $50,000.00 insurance or bond requirement under Section 4-68(e).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep a snake or a wild animal as a pet in Pageland?
Only if you register it first. Section 4-66 makes it unlawful to keep any poisonous reptile or dangerous carnivorous wild animal in town without registering the animal with the animal control officer; there is no outright ban on exotic pets, but unregistered ones can be seized under the article's dangerous-animal enforcement powers.
What counts as a dangerous animal under Pageland's code?
Section 4-1 defines a dangerous animal as one with a known propensity to attack unprovoked, one that has already attacked a person or pet without provocation, or one kept for dogfighting. Guard dogs and attack dogs are specifically excluded from the general dangerous-animal ban in Section 4-61, though Section 4-66's reptile and wild-animal registration duty is separate from that ban.
Is there an insurance requirement for exotic or dangerous animals?
Yes. Section 4-68(e) requires the owner of any animal formally declared dangerous to register it with the county law enforcement authority and to carry proof of liability insurance or a surety bond of at least $50,000.00 covering personal injuries the animal might cause.

Sources & Official References

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