S*1260(Rat #0461, Act #0436 of 1996)  General Bill, By Leventis, Courson, 
Gregory, Jackson, Land, McConnell, McGill, Moore, Passailaigue, L.E. Richter, 
Russell, G. Smith and Thomas
 A Bill to amend Section 47-3-75, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to dogs and other domestic animals, regulation by counties, and the
 transfer of a domestic animal to an animal shelter ten days after the date the
 owner was to pick up the animal, so as to provide that the animal may be
 transferred only if the written contract or agreement provides for the
 transfer and if an attempt is made to notify the owner by regular mail, and
 also by certified mail, at the owner's last known address on the date the
 owner failed to pick up the animal as agreed, to reference the boarding of
 animals of others pursuant to Subsection (A) of this Section, and to provide
 that a person who fails to pick up an animal as provided for in Subsection (A)
 of this Section, who fails to pay his boarding fees in a timely manner, or who
 abandons an animal at an animal hospital, a dog kennel, a cat kennel, another
 animal care facility, or boarding facility is guilty of a misdemeanor and,
 upon conviction, may be imprisoned not more than thirty days or fined not more
 than two hundred dollars.-amended title

   03/20/96  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-3
   03/20/96  Senate Referred to Committee on Agriculture and Natural
                     Resources SJ-3
   04/24/96  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Agriculture and Natural Resources SJ-49
   04/25/96  Senate Amended SJ-78
   04/25/96  Senate Read second time SJ-78
   04/29/96  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-23
   04/30/96  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-21
   04/30/96  House  Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs HJ-21
   05/16/96  House  Recalled from Committee on Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs HJ-42
   05/21/96  House  Read second time HJ-116
   05/22/96  House  Read third time and enrolled HJ-18
   05/30/96         Ratified R 461
   06/06/96         Became law without Governor's signature
   06/06/96         Effective date 06/06/96
   07/03/96         Copies available
   07/03/96         Act No. 436

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 47-3-75, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO DOGS AND OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS, REGULATION BY COUNTIES, AND THE TRANSFER OF A DOMESTIC ANIMAL TO AN ANIMAL SHELTER TEN DAYS AFTER THE DATE THE OWNER WAS TO PICK UP THE ANIMAL, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE ANIMAL MAY BE TRANSFERRED ONLY IF THE WRITTEN CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT PROVIDES FOR THE TRANSFER AND IF AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO NOTIFY THE OWNER BY REGULAR MAIL, AND ALSO BY CERTIFIED MAIL, AT THE OWNER'S LAST KNOWN ADDRESS ON THE DATE THE OWNER FAILED TO PICK UP THE ANIMAL AS AGREED, TO REFERENCE THE BOARDING OF ANIMALS OF OTHERS PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO FAILS TO PICK UP AN ANIMAL AS PROVIDED FOR IN SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION, WHO FAILS TO PAY HIS BOARDING FEES IN A TIMELY MANNER, OR WHO ABANDONS AN ANIMAL AT AN ANIMAL HOSPITAL, A DOG KENNEL, A CAT KENNEL, ANOTHER ANIMAL CARE FACILITY, OR BOARDING FACILITY IS GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND, UPON CONVICTION, MAY BE IMPRISONED NOT MORE THAN THIRTY DAYS OR FINED NOT MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS.

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

Misdemeanor created, etc.

SECTION 1. Section 47-3-75 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 354 of 1992, is amended to read:

"Section 47-3-75. (A) An animal delivered to a veterinarian, a dog kennel, a cat kennel, an animal hospital, another animal care facility, or to a person who boards domestic animals on the person's premises for a fee may be transferred to an appropriate animal shelter ten days after the date the owner failed to pick up the animal as agreed to pursuant to a written contract or agreement. The animal may be transferred only if the written contract or agreement provides for the transfer and if an attempt is made to notify the owner by regular mail and by certified mail at the owner's last known address on the date the owner failed to pick up the animal as agreed.

(B) A person who boards animals of others pursuant to subsection (A) shall post written notice of the provisions of this section at the person's place of business.

(C) A person who fails to pick up an animal as provided for in subsection (A), who fails to pay his boarding fees in a timely manner, or who abandons an animal at an animal hospital, a dog kennel, a cat kennel, another animal care facility, or boarding facility is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, may be imprisoned not more than thirty days or fined not more than two hundred dollars."

Time effective

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

Became law without the signature of the Governor -- 6/6/96.