2022 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 47 - Animals, Livestock and Poultry
Chapter 2 - Large Wild Cats, Non-native Bears And Great Apes
Section 47-2-10. Definitions.

As contained in this chapter:

(1) "Animal control authority" means the agency designated by a city or county to administer ordinances regulating, restricting, or prohibiting the possession of large wild cats, non-native bears, and great apes. The animal control agency may be a municipal or county animal control agency, county sheriff, or other designated agency.

(2) "Large wild cat, non-native bear and great ape" means one of the following types of animals of the order Carnivora or Primate, and any hybrids of these animals:

(a) Family Felidae, Genus panthera-all lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cougars, cheetahs, snow leopards, and clouded leopards;

(b) Family Ursidae-all bears that are not native to South Carolina and not subject to oversight by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources; and

(c) Family Hominidae-all great apes; to include all species of chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans.

(3) "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, organization, trade, or professional association, firm, limited liability company, joint venture, association, trust, estate, or any other legal entity, and any employee, agent, or representative of the entity.

(4) "Possessor" means any person who owns, possesses, keeps, harbors, brings into the State, acts as a custodian of, or has custody or control of, a large wild cat, non-native bear, or great ape.

HISTORY: 2017 Act No. 86 (H.3531), Section 1, eff January 1, 2018.

Editor's Note

2017 Act No. 86, Section 4, provides as follows:

"This act takes effect January 1, 2018, and applies to acts committed on or after that date."