H*2021(Rat #0431, Act #0401 of 1988)  General Bill, By Harvin, P.T. Bradley, 
T.M. Burriss and R.S. Corning
 A Bill to amend Section 47-1-40, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to ill-treatment of animals, so as to further provide for what
 constitutes ill-treatment and to increase the penalties for violation, to also
 make it unlawful to torture, mutilate, or cruelly kill animals and to provide
 penalties for violation, and to provide certain exceptions.-amended title

   12/03/86  House  Prefiled
   12/03/86  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs
   01/13/87  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-32
   01/13/87  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs HJ-32
   03/31/87  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
                     HJ-1470
   04/02/87  House  Debate adjourned HJ-1599
   04/07/87  House  Amended HJ-1643
   04/07/87  House  Objection by Rep. Klapman & Koon HJ-1643
   04/07/87  House  Read second time HJ-1643
   04/08/87  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-1678
   04/09/87  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-1732
   04/09/87  Senate Referred to Committee on Agriculture and Natural
                     Resources SJ-1732
   02/24/88  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Agriculture and Natural Resources SJ-24
   03/01/88  Senate Read second time SJ-26
   03/01/88  Senate Ordered to third reading with notice of
                     amendments SJ-26
   03/02/88  Senate Amended SJ-34
   03/02/88  Senate  Read third time SJ-35
   03/02/88  Senate Returned SJ-35
   03/10/88  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled HJ-1924
   03/15/88         Ratified R 431
   03/21/88         Signed By Governor
   03/21/88         Effective date 03/21/88
   03/21/88         Act No. 401
   03/29/88         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 47-1-40, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE ILL-TREATMENT OF ANIMALS, SO AS TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR WHAT CONSTITUTES ILL-TREATMENT AND TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION, TO ALSO MAKE IT UNLAWFUL TO TORTURE, MUTILATE, OR CRUELLY, KILL ANIMALS AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION, AND TO PROVIDE CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Ill-treatment and torture of animals

SECTION 1. Section 47-1-40 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 47-1-40. (A) Whoever overloads, overdrives, overworks, ill-treats, deprives of necessary sustenance, shelter, or inflicts unnecessary pain or suffering upon any animal or causes these things to be done, whether the person is the owner of the animal or has charge or custody of it, for every offense, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by imprisonment not exceeding thirty days or by a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than two hundred dollars for a first offense; by imprisonment not exceeding sixty days or by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or both, for a second offense; or by imprisonment not exceeding one year or by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or both, for a third or subsequent offense.

(B) Whoever tortures, torments, needlessly mutilates, cruelly kills, or inflicts excessive or repeated unnecessary pain or suffering upon any animal or causes the acts to be done for any of the offenses is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by imprisonment not to exceed sixty days or by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars, or both.

(C) The provisions of the section do not apply to fowl, accepted animal husbandry practices of farm operations, the training of animals, or the practice of veterinary medicine."

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.