South Carolina Statewide Rule
South Carolina Animal Hoarding Falls Under Cruelty Law 47-1-40
Key Facts
- Statute
- S.C. Code 47-1-40
- First offense
- Misdemeanor, up to 90 days
- Fine range
- $100 to $1,000
- Repeat or aggravated
- Felony, up to 5 years
- Enforcement
- County animal control, law enforcement
Summary
South Carolina has no standalone hoarding statute; hoarding is prosecuted under the general ill-treatment law, Section 47-1-40, which criminalizes depriving an animal of necessary sustenance or shelter. A first offense is a misdemeanor, and repeat or aggravated cruelty becomes a felony.
A person who knowingly or intentionally overloads, overdrives, overworks, or ill-treats an animal, deprives an animal of necessary sustenance or shelter, inflicts unnecessary pain or suffering upon an animal, or by omission or commission knowingly or intentionally causes these acts to be done, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by imprisonment not exceeding ninety days or by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, or both, for a first offense
Full Breakdown
Section 47-1-40(A) makes it a crime to knowingly or intentionally ill-treat an animal or deprive it of necessary sustenance or shelter: the prongs prosecutors use against hoarders whose animals lack food, water, or sanitary shelter. A first offense is a misdemeanor carrying up to ninety days in jail and a fine of $100 to $1,000. A second or subsequent offense, or torturing or cruelly killing an animal, is a felony punishable by 180 days to five years and a $5,000 fine. County animal control officers and local law enforcement investigate complaints and seize affected animals.
Violations & Penalties
First offense: up to ninety days in jail plus a fine of $100 to $1,000. A second or subsequent offense, or aggravated cruelty, is a felony carrying 180 days to five years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does South Carolina have a specific animal hoarding law?
Is animal hoarding a felony in South Carolina?
Sources
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