ARTICLE A
General Provisions

ARTICLE B
Dogs, Cats and Pets

ARTICLE A
General Provisions

Sec. 6‑4‑1                        Keeping of animals within city.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, main­tain or have in his possession within the city any hogs, pigs, calves or cows, horses, ponies, mules or burros; pro­vided, that this section shall not apply to a mere temporary keeping or having in possession of these animals as an inci­dent to their immediate slaughter for personal use or passage of the animals through the city or shipment there from, not to fairs, parades, contests, or like exhibitions when licensed or permitted by the municipality and in conformity with the sanitation regulations as may be required in connection therewith.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to have or maintain within the city any barn, stables, stall, pen, sty, enclosure or pasture where hogs, pigs, calves or cows, hors­es, ponies, mules or burros are permitted to remain for a longer period or for any other purpose than those enumerated in this section.

Sec. 6‑4‑2                        Keeping of poultry within city.

It shall be unlawful to keep or maintain any poultry within the city, except in buildings, structures, enclosures or upon grounds as are kept in sanitary condition, including provisions of suitable and proper drainage and precautions against breeding of flies. (Code 1978, Sec. 6‑4002)

Sec. 6‑4‑3                        wild animals.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, main­tain or have in his possession within the city any deer, bears, foxes, monkeys or other wild animals, caged or uncaged; provided, that this section shall not apply to a mere temporary keeping or having in possession of these animals as an incident to the passage of the animals through the city or shipment therefrom. The provisions of this sec­tion shall not apply to circuses, menageries or like displays of animals for short intervals of time and under permit or license from the city.

(b) This section shall not apply to the keeping of small wild animals in the home or immediately adjacent there­to as pets; provided, that the animals are kept securely caged or that they do not become a nuisance, an annoyance to the neighborhood or a source of danger to the citizens of the community. The county health department shall have the au­thority to determine whether the keeping of the animal as may be permitted by this section shall be unsanitary or detrimen­tal to the health and welfare of the community, and upon the determination that a detrimental condition exists, the fur­ther keeping of the animal shall be unlawful.

Sec. 6‑4‑4 Permit required for stables or other places of business where animals are sold, kept for hire, etc.

It shall be unlawful for any person to open, maintain, keep or conduct any stable or place of business where animals are sold, offered for sale, exchanged or kept for hire with­out first applying to and obtaining from the council a permit to operate the business. The application for the permit shall be in writing and shall set forth fully the location and the nature and probable volume of the business to be conducted

and the precautions to be taken by the applicant against having the business become offensive to the public health, peace and safety. The council may grant or refuse the permit in its discretion or may attach conditions to the grant. Any permit shall be subject to revocation in the discretion of the council, or the imposition of further conditions, in the discretion of the council, if the public welfare requires the revocation or the imposition of further conditions. No permit shall be revoked or made subject to further conditions except upon notice to the holder of the permit and opportunity granted to him to be heard by the council on the question involved. The council may also, in its discretion, remove any or all of the conditions attached to the grant of the permit. (Code 1978, Sec. 6‑4005)

Sec. 6‑4‑5 City declared bird sanctuary.

(a)                      The entire area embraced within the city is hereby designated as a bird sanctuary.

(b) It shall be unlawful to trap, hunt, shoot or at­tempt to shoot or molest in any way or manner any wild fowl or bird or to rob bird nests or wild fowl nests; provided, that if starlings or similar birds are found to be congregat­ed in such numbers in a particular locality that they consti­tute a menace or nuisance to health or property, in the opinion of the proper authorities of the city, then city authorities shall meet with representatives of the Audubon Society, Bird Club, Garden Club or Humane Society or as many of these clubs as are found to exist in the city, after having been given at least three (3) days' actual notice of the time and place of meeting to the representatives of the clubs. If, as a result of the meeting, no satisfactory alter­native is found to abate the nuisance, then the birds may be destroyed in such numbers and in a manner as is deemed advis­able by the city under the supervision of the chief of po­lice.

Secs. 6‑4‑6 through 6‑4‑20 reserved.

6‑23    Supp. No. 11, 4‑94

ARTICLE B
Dogs, Cats and Pets

Sec. 6‑4‑21 Definitions.

The term "pet" in this article, shall mean all domestic animals, including, but not limited, to, dogs and cats. (Code 1978, Sec. 6‑4021)

Sec. 6‑4‑22 Pets running at large.

(a) No person having the ownership, possession or con­trol of any pet shall allow the pet to run at large within the city.

(b) Any dog which is off the property of the person having the ownership, possession or control of the dog shall be on a leash not exceeding seven (7) feet in length and shall be under the control of the person having custody of the dog. (Code 1978, Sec. 6‑4022, 6‑4026)

Sec. 6‑4‑23            Impoundment of pets in violation of this arti­cle

(a) All police officers of the city or other designated agents for the purpose, are authorized and empowered to take up and impound pets found running at large upon the streets of the city.

(b) Whenever any animal is impounded pursuant to this chapter, the owner thereof shall pay a shelter fee of five dollars ($5) per day, a pickup charge of $25 and the cost of any veterinary services. If the owner cap produce proof of his animal having had current rabies vaccinations, the pickup charge shall be reduced to $15. When any animal is impounded, the Horry County animal and insect control director or his authorized agent shall immediately notify the owner. The Horry County animal and insect control director shall be responsible for keeping a record of all animals impounded or taken into possession, showing that information as will determine the identity of the animal, the date of impounding, the fees accrued and the final disposition. If the animal is not reclaimed within five (5) days, inclusive of the day the animal was picked up and the day it is adopted out or dis­posed of, the Horry County animal and insect control director or his authorized agent shall adopt the animal out or dispose of the animal in a humane way, except the following:

(1) wildcats;

(2)  vicious dogs imposing a safety threat to shelter workers of visitors;

(3) badly injured, sick or suffering animals requiring extensive treatment;

(4) animals with highly contagious or fatal diseases;

(5) animals who have been signed over to the county by their owner which shall be exempt from the five (5) days impoundment.

This section shall not apply to animals impounded for suspi­cion of rabies.

(c) In the event an animal is impounded for the second time within a period of 90 days from the date of the first offense, a fee of $50 will be charged for the first 24 hours or any part thereof, plus a fee of five dollars ($5) for each additional day or any part thereof.

(d) Before any animal is adopted out to anyone else by the Horry County animal and insect control director, the animal shall first be sent to a licensed veterinarian for all necessary medical care, including, but not limited to, spay­ing/neutering and rabies vaccination. The adopting person must first pay the fee for said medical care (in addition to all other fees accrued on the animal, if any) . The animal shall then be delivered to the veterinarian giving such medical care, after which time the veterinarian will notify the adopting person when the animal is ready to be picked up.

(e) When any dog is positively identifiable pursuant to section 47‑3‑540, S.C. Code of Laws, 1976, the owner must be notified at his last known address, by registered mail, that the county has the dog in its possession. The owner must notify the Horry County animal and insect control officer within two (2) weeks that he will pick up his dog. If the owner does not pick up his dog within two (2) weeks of noti­fication to the Horry County animal and insect control offi­cer, the dog may be destroyed. All costs and/or fines levied by this section or other sections will apply. (Code 1978, Sec. 6‑4023, as amended by Ord. No. 87‑1‑26(A), 1/26/87; Ord. No. .93‑08‑23(A), 8/23/93)

Amendment Note: Ord. No. 87‑1‑26(A), 1/26/87, deleted a provision concerning additional fees for animals impounded within the previous six months. Ord. No. 93‑08‑23(A), 8/23/93, deleted section 6‑4‑24, deleted and replaced section 6‑4‑23(b) and added sections 6‑4‑23(c), (d) and (e).

6‑24.1  Supp. No. 11, 4‑94