Animal Ordinances in Orangeburg County, SC (2026)
8 rules for unincorporated Orangeburg County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
In unincorporated Orangeburg County, keeping livestock or poultry is a zoning question first: Table 1 of the Zoning Ordinance permits Livestock (NAICS 112111) by right only in the Commercial General, Business/Industrial, Forest Agricultural and Rural Community districts, and confines Poultry & Eggs (NAICS 1123) to just the FA and RC districts. Animal Control's Chapter 4 code separately defines "animal" to include cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and goats and sets impoundment fees for animals running at large.
Livestock and Poultry Zoning in Orangeburg County
Some RestrictionsOrangeburg County Code §§ 4-61, 4-193; Zoning Ordinance § 2.3 (Table 1)
Animal means any dog, cat or domesticated farm animal, such as cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and goats. ... Livestock means any horse, sheep, beef or dairy cattle, donkey, mule, jack, jennet, burro, goat, pig, llama, domesticated hare or rabbit. ... For large, domesticated animals (e.g., horses, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, or donkeys):a.If the animal has not previously been impounded: $100.00;b.If ...
Dog Leash Laws
Every keeper in unincorporated Orangeburg County must keep dogs and other animals confined or under restraint at all times. Sec. 4-129(a) makes letting an animal run at large a 'nuisance' violation, and Sec. 4-61 defines restraint as a leash, direct voice control, secure enclosure, or confinement inside a moving vehicle.
Orangeburg County Dogs Must Be Restrained
Some RestrictionsOrangeburg County Code §§ 4-61, 4-129
Restraint means controlled by one of the following means: a chain, leash or other restraining device; or sufficiently near the keeper to be under the keeper's direct control and obedient to the keeper's commands; or confined on the enclosed property of the keeper or on the enclosed property of another with that other property owner's permission; or confined in a vehicle while the vehicle is bei...
Breed Restrictions
Orangeburg County does not regulate any dog breed as inherently dangerous. Sec. 4-61 states plainly that an animal shall not be deemed a dangerous animal solely by reason of its breed, and instead Sec. 4-123 imposes registration, tagging, muzzling and confinement duties on the keeper of any animal the director individually determines to be dangerous, regardless of breed.
Orangeburg County Bans No Dog Breeds
Some RestrictionsOrangeburg County Code §§ 4-61, 4-123
Dangerous means an animal that evidences an abnormal inclination to attack humans or animals without provocation as set forth in S.C. Code 1976, § 47-3-10. An animal shall not be deemed a dangerous animal solely by reason of its breed. ... (1)Register the animal with the department which registration process shall include the proof of liability insurance or bond set forth in S.C. Code 1976, § 4...
Exotic Pets
Unincorporated Orangeburg County has banned exotic creatures outright since December 7, 2009. Chapter 4 defines 'exotic creatures' to include big cats, bears, wolves, coyotes, crocodilians, monitors and similar zoo animals, and Sec. 4-103 makes it unlawful to bring or keep one in the county unless a keeper proves continuous possession before that date.
Orangeburg County Exotic Creature Ban
Heavy RestrictionsOrangeburg County Code §§ 4-61, 4-103
Exotic creatures refers to the following creatures: (1)General description. Any type of carnivore that, by reason of inherent, natural propensities of the type of creature, poses a threat of serious bodily injury to a human. ... (2)Specific creatures deemed exotic. Exotic creatures is a category that includes, but is not limited to the following: lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, cheetahs, snow...
Cat Rules
Every cat six months or older kept in unincorporated Orangeburg County must be registered and licensed with county animal control, with fees keyed to spay/neuter status. A separate trap-neuter-return exemption protects anyone properly running a TNR program for stray or un-owned cats from prosecution under the rest of Chapter 4.
Orangeburg County Cat Licensing and TNR Rules
Some RestrictionsOrangeburg County Code §§ 4-61, 4-108
Trap neuter and return or TNR means a program run and/or assisted by the department and/or a 501c-3 that involves trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating, eartipping and allowance of recovery time before returning an un-owned or stray cat to the location from which it was taken. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a person who is properly acting pursuant to a trap neuter and return ...
Microchipping
Orangeburg County does not require dogs or cats to be microchipped. Sec. 4-108(b) states only that it is the county's policy to encourage animal keepers to have their dogs and cats microchipped, though a chip waives registration fees for rescue adoptees and triggers a mandatory scan whenever animal control impounds an animal.
Orangeburg County Microchipping Policy
Few RestrictionsOrangeburg County Code §§ 4-108, 4-171
(3)Fee waivers. Any animal that meets the following requirements for the registration and licensing shall have a total registration and licensing fee of $0.00:a.Any animal that has been that has been vaccinated for rabies, spayed or neutered, microchipped and adopted from a 501c-3 rescue organization. ... (b)Microchipping. It is the county's policy to encourage animal keepers to have their dogs...
Pet Groomer Rules
Table 1 of the Orangeburg County Zoning Ordinance separates indoor from outdoor pet-care businesses. "Pet Care (Enclosed Facility)" (NAICS 81291), the category covering grooming shops and indoor boarding, is a permitted, by-right use in six of the county's eight districts: RO, CN, CG, BI, FA and RC. The unenclosed version of the same use is confined to just the BI and FA districts, and both require one parking space per 1,000 square feet of floor area.
Pet Grooming Business Zoning in Orangeburg County
Light RestrictionsOrangeburg County Zoning Ordinance §§ 2.3 (Table 1), 9.18
Zone Districts NAICS RS RG RO CN CG BI FA RC Required Off-Street Parking (a) ... Pet Care (Enclosed Facility) 81291 N N P P P P P P 1 per 1,000 GFA Pet Care (Unenclosed Facility) 81291 N N N N N P P N 1 per 1,000 GFA
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Veterinary Services (NAICS 54194) are a permitted, by-right use in four of the eight primary zoning districts covering unincorporated Orangeburg County: Commercial General, Business/Industrial, Forest Agricultural and Rural Community. Table 1 of the Zoning Ordinance marks the use "N," not permitted, in the RS, RG, RO and CN districts, and requires one parking space per 350 square feet of floor area.
Veterinary Clinic Zoning in Orangeburg County
Some RestrictionsOrangeburg County Zoning Ordinance §§ 2.3 (Table 1), 9.18
Zone Districts NAICS RS RG RO CN CG BI FA RC Required Off-Street Parking (a) ... Veterinary Services 54194 N N N N P P P P 1 per 350 GFA ... Any person violating any provisions of this Ordinance shall upon conviction be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined as determined by the court for each offense.
All Orangeburg County ordinances
See every category we cover for Orangeburg County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Orangeburg County Ordinance Hub →