(A) Any domestic animal running-at-large may be taken up by the Animal Control Officers, or any of the persons empowered to enforce this chapter, and transported to the animal control shelter and there confined in a humane manner until redeemed or disposed of as hereinafter provided.
(B) It shall be the duty of the animal shelter to keep accurate and detailed records of seizures and disposition of all animals coming into its custody. Such records will be kept according to the ordinances of Berkeley County.
(C) Immediately after impounding any domestic animal, the Animal Control Officer shall make a reasonable effort to notify the owner of its impoundment and to inform the owner of the conditions whereby the owner can regain custody of the animal.
(D) Pets or animals not redeemed by their owners within 14 days after notification, or before the expiration of five days in the event of a non-owner identified animal, shall become the property of the Berkeley County Animal Shelter, and may be placed for adoption or euthanized at the discretion of animal shelter personnel. However, animal shelter personnel shall not euthanize any positively identifiable dog, as established by S.C. Code 1976 §§ 47-3-513 et seq., as amended, until compliance with § 47-3-540 has been achieved. For the purposes of this division (D), it shall be deemed that the owner is notified when the animal control officer and/or the animal shelter personnel sends written notice, postage prepaid, to the best-known address of the owner, whether or not the owner actually receives the notice, or when the animal control officer and/or the animal shelter personnel makes telephone contact with the owner. Such notification shall at a minimum identify the animal and shall advise the owner that he or she has 14 days from the date of notification to pay all redemption fees and redeem the animal or the animal shall become the property of the Berkeley County Animal Shelter.
(E) Any animal determined to be abandoned by the animal control officer shall be impounded by the animal shelter.
(F) Free-roaming cats shall be allowed in the City of Goose Creek as long as all of the following requirements are met:
(1) The cat must be spayed or neutered;
(2) The cat must be microchipped;
(3) The cat must be vaccinated for rabies, feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia; and
(4) The cat must be ear tipped; or
(5) The cat must be scheduled to be sterilized, microchipped, vaccinated and ear tipped.
(1985 Code, § 4-9) (Ord. 94-005, passed 9-13-1994; Am. Ord. 2023-004, passed 1-10-2023)
Statutory reference:
Quarantine of dogs found at-large, see S.C. Code § 47-3-40