S.C. Code Ann. § 47-3-60
This is the official text of S.C. Code Ann. § 47-3-60, part of South Carolina’s Code Ann — part of the compiled statutory law of South Carolina, published by the state as "Code Ann." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
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SECTION 47-3-60. Disposition of quarantined or impounded animals.
Official statutory text
(A) After any animal has been quarantined pursuant to South Carolina Rabies Control Act and is unclaimed by its owner, after the animal shelter employees have made a good faith effort to contact the identified owner as required by Section 47-3-540, the animal shelter employees, unless the animal must be kept pending disposition of a criminal or civil trial involving the animal or unless a hearing on the disposition of the animal is held prior to the trial, may dispose of the animal by adoption or by euthanasia or the animal may be turned over to any organization established for the purpose of caring for animals, such as the Humane Society. (B) Notwithstanding subsection (C), a litter of unidentifiable dogs or cats four months of age or younger may be turned over to any organization established for the purpose of caring for animals immediately, so long as the litter is turned over for life-saving purposes. (C) After any animal has been impounded for five calendar days and is unclaimed by its owner, and after the animal shelter employees have made a good faith effort to contact the identified owner as required by Section 47-3-540, the animal shelter employees, unless the animal must be kept pending disposition of a criminal or civil trial involving the animal or unless a hearing on the disposition of the animal is held prior to the trial, may dispose of the animal by adoption or by euthanasia or the animal may be turned over to any organization established for the purpose of caring for animals, such as the Humane Society. (D) Complete records must be kept by shelter officials as to the disposition of all animals impounded. Editor's Note 2019 Act No. 43, SECTION 10, provides as follows: "SECTION 10. The General Assembly finds it is the best practice for a shelter, public or private, to prepare and maintain records documenting the number of animals admitted to the facility and the method by which those animals exit the facility, whether by adoption, fostering, natural death, euthanasia, transfer to another state, or other means of discharge." Effect of Amendment 2019 Act No. 43, SECTION 3, inserted (B); redesignated (B) and (C) as (C) and (D); and in (C), substituted "five calendar days" for "five days".
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
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