Animal Ordinances in Charleston County, SC (2026)
5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Charleston County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Dog Leash Laws
Charleston County bans letting any dog or cat run at large off its owner's property, and imposes eight specific tethering restrictions under County Code § 3-11: no unattended tethering between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., minimum leash lengths tied to the dog's body size, and bans on chain weight, choke collars and pulley systems that could injure the dog.
Dog Leash and Tethering Rules, Charleston County
Some RestrictionsCharleston County Code § 3-11(a), (d)
(a)It shall be unlawful for any owner or custodian of any animal to permit same to run at large at any time upon streets or highways or properties other than his own property within the county... (d)No person shall restrain a dog by tethering the dog:(1)Unattended between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.;(2)Unattended by a tether less than ten feet in length or less than four times the len...
Breed Restrictions
South Carolina law forbids Charleston County from labeling a dog dangerous by breed alone. Instead, S.C. Code § 47-3-710 defines a "dangerous animal" by documented conduct, unprovoked attacks or a fighting history, and every dangerous-animal owner must register with local law enforcement, carry a $50,000 liability bond, and keep the animal in a locked, marked enclosure.
Dangerous Dog Rules, Not Breed Bans, Charleston Co
Significant RestrictionsS.C. Code § 47-3-710(A)-(C)
(A) As used in this article "dangerous animal" means an animal of the canine or feline family: (1) which the owner knows or reasonably should know has a propensity, tendency, or disposition to attack unprovoked, cause injury, or otherwise endanger the safety of human beings or domestic animals; (2) which: (a) makes an unprovoked attack that causes bodily injury to a human being and the attack o...
Exotic Pets
South Carolina law bars the sale of any carnivore that is not normally domesticated as a pet anywhere in Charleston County, covering raccoons, foxes, skunks, bobcats, coyotes, wolves, weasels and their wolf-dog or wolf-cat hybrids. A carnivore kept privately cannot be let run loose and then re-caged. Only domesticated ferrets are exempt, and Charleston County's own code separately lists exotic families, from bears to mongooses, that require a special permit.
Wild Carnivore Pet Ban, Charleston County SC
Heavy RestrictionsS.C. Code § 47-5-50(A), (D)
(A) No carnivores, which normally are not domesticated, may be sold as pets in this State. A carnivore kept by an individual must not be allowed to run at large and then returned to confinement. A normally wild animal indigenous to this State, if held captive for a period of time, may be released to the wild. This section does not apply to domesticated ferrets. However, no ferret may be sold in...
Cat Rules
Every cat owner in Charleston County must keep their cat currently vaccinated against rabies under S.C. Code § 47-5-60, with a veterinarian-issued metal tag worn on the collar at all times. The county separately allows free-roaming "community cats" to remain outdoors under County Code § 3-16 if they are spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and ear-tipped, and are not creating a nuisance.
Cat Rabies Tags and Free-Roaming Cat Rules, Co
Some RestrictionsS.C. Code § 47-5-60
A pet owner must have his pet inoculated against rabies at a frequency to provide continuous protection of the pet from rabies using a vaccine approved by the department and licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture. The rabies inoculation for pets must be administered by a licensed veterinarian or someone under a licensed veterinarian's direct supervision... Evidence of rabies in...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Charleston County does not require every pet to be spayed or neutered, but any dog or cat impounded by animal control must be sterilized, or the owner must pay an escalating "intact redemption fee," before it can be redeemed, under County Code § 3-6. Every animal adopted from the county shelter must likewise be sterilized before release, per § 3-10.
Mandatory Pet Sterilization Fees, Charleston County
Some RestrictionsCharleston County Code § 3-6(c), (f)
(c)... The redemption fee shall include an impoundment charge, the cost of sterilization or the intact redemption fee, and payment for daily boarding costs for animals, excluding livestock, as assessed by the county. If an Animal has previously been sterilized before its impoundment, the cost of sterilization or the intact redemption fee shall not be charged in the fees set forth herein... (f) ...
Animal Ordinances by City in Charleston County
2 cities in Charleston County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Charleston County ordinances
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