Sec. 4-18. Cruelty to animals.

(a) Definitions. For the purposes of this section the following definitions shall apply:

(1) Animal means any non-human living vertebrate, whether wild or domesticated.

(2) Domesticated animal means animals domesticated by man so as to live and breed in a tame condition, including but not limited to cats, dogs, fowls, horses, cattle, swine, sheep or goats.

(3) Vicious animal is an animal:

a. With a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack unprovoked, to cause injury to, or to otherwise endanger the safety of humans or domestic pets; or

b. Which attacks a human being or other domestic animal without provocation; or

c. Which is trained or used to fight, or to attack humans.

This definition shall not apply to a dog owned or used by a governmental entity. Feeding a domesticated animal to a snake shall not make the snake a vicious animal.

(4) Wild animal means all animals commonly accepted as being "wild" and includes but is not limited to, the following, no matter how domesticated they may be:

a. Alligators and crocodiles.

b. Bears (ursidae).

c. Cat family (felidae) which includes but is not limited to bobcats, tigers, leopards, lions and panthers, except commonly domesticated cats.

d. Coyotes, foxes, wolves, including the offspring of one (1) of the foregoing with a domestic dog wherein the proportion of wild animal exceeds one-fourth ( 1/4).

e. Porcupine (erethizontiade).

f. Non-human primates (hominidae).

g. Raccoon (procynmidae).

h. Skunks.

i. Venomous snakes, constrictor snakes that grow larger than five (5) feet in length, or venomous lizards.

j. Weasels (mustelidae), except "European" ferrets.

However, the definition of a "wild animal" shall not be construed to apply to "exotic" birds or animals which are not dangerous to humans and which may lawfully be purchased at pet stores or commercial locations except for those animals specifically mentioned above.

Furthermore, this section shall not apply to domesticated herds of deer, antelope, buffalo or similar herd animals that may be lawfully possessed and which are maintained in safe and secure fenced areas for commercial, educational or entertainment purposes so long as all other provisions concerning humane treatment of animals are complied with.

(b) Animal care generally. No owner shall fail to provide his animals with sufficient good and wholesome food and water, proper shelter and protection from the weather, veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering, and humane care and treatment.

(c) Mistreatment of animals. No persons shall beat, cruelly ill treat, torment, overload, overwork or otherwise abuse an animal, or cause, instigate or permit any dogfight or other combat between animals or between animals and humans.

(d) Abandoning animals. No owner or individual in custody of an animal shall abandon such animal.

(e) Giving away animals for commercial purposes. No person shall give away any live animal as a prize for, or as an inducement to enter, any contest, game or other competition or as an inducement to enter a place of amusement.

(f) Striking animals with motor vehicle. Any person operating a motor vehicle, who strikes a domesticated animal, shall report such injury or death to the Greenville County Animal Shelter or other appropriate law enforcement authority. However, due to the possibility of injury from aiding injured animals, this provision shall in no way be construed to require or encourage the physical touching of an injured animal by a nonqualified person who strikes a domesticated animal.

(g) Poisoning animals. No person shall expose any known poisonous substance, whether mixed with food or not, so that the same shall be liable to be eaten by any animal, provided that it shall not be unlawful for a person to expose on his own property common rat or vermin poison for the express purpose of rat or vermin control.

(Ord. No. 2130, § 6, 6-5-90)