South Carolina Code 47-3-760. Penalties; registration of dangerous animals
(B) A person who is the owner of a dangerous animal which attacks and injures a human being in violation of § 47-3-710(A)(2)(a) or a person who violates § 47-3-740:
Terms Used In South Carolina Code 47-3-760
- Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- 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 occurs in a place other than the place where the animal is confined as required by § 47-3-720; or
(b) commits unprovoked acts in a place other than the place where the animal is confined as required by § 47-3-720 and those acts cause a person to reasonably believe that the animal will attack and cause bodily injury to a human being;
(3) which is owned or harbored primarily or in part for the purpose of fighting or which is trained for fighting. See South Carolina Code 47-3-710 - owner: means a person who owns or has custody or control of the animal. See South Carolina Code 47-3-710
(1) for a first offense, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than three years;
(2) for a second or subsequent offense, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than ten thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years.
(C) A dangerous animal which attacks a human being or domestic animal may be ordered destroyed when in the court’s judgment the dangerous animal represents a continuing threat of serious harm to human beings or domestic animals.
(D) A person found guilty of violating this article shall pay all expenses, including, but not limited to, shelter, food, veterinary expenses for boarding and veterinary expenses necessitated by the seizure of an animal for the protection of the public, medical expenses incurred by a victim from an attack by a dangerous animal, and other expenses required for the destruction of the animal.
(E) A person owning a dangerous animal shall register the animal with the local law enforcement authority of the county in which the owner resides. The requirements of the registration must be determined by the county governing body. However, the registration application must be accompanied by proof of liability insurance or surety bond of at least fifty thousand dollars insuring or securing the owner for personal injuries inflicted by the dangerous animal. The county governing body shall provide to the owner registering the dangerous animal a metal license tag and a certificate. The metal license tag at all times must be attached to a collar or harness worn by the dangerous animal for which the certificate and tag have been issued.
(F) Nothing in this chapter is designed to abrogate any civil remedies available under statutory or common law.