State guide
South Carolina
South Carolina uses a mixed local system: counties often run animal services in unincorporated areas, some counties place animal control with the sheriff, and cities may have separate animal control. Rabies reporting is centralized through South Carolina Department of Public Health county offices, while wildlife rehabilitation and nuisance wildlife information sit with SCDNR.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who handles animal control locally
- Usually county animal services or county sheriff animal control handles unincorporated areas in South Carolina, while municipalities may operate separate city animal control programs.
- State wildlife agency (nuisance and injured wildlife)
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
- Nuisance wildlife help
- Official page →
- Reporting an animal bite
- All wild and domestic animal bites must be reported to your local DPH office by the end of the next working day; if you do not seek treatment, contact your county office by the end of the following business day.
- State rabies contact
- South Carolina Department of Public Health county rabies offices
Official resources in South Carolina
Official county-by-county rabies reporting page for bites and exposures.
State public guidance on first aid, treatment, and how to report animal bites or incidents.
Official wildlife rehabilitation help page with the state registry and SCDNR contacts.
Official nuisance wildlife page with wildlife control operator and rehabilitator links.
Official state rabies law page including the public health veterinarian provision.
Key facts for South Carolina
- DPH says all wild and domestic animal bites must be reported to the local DPH office by the end of the next working day.
- DPH says if you do not seek medical treatment, you must contact your county office by the end of the following business day.
- South Carolina law allows DPH to employ a licensed doctor of veterinary medicine as public health veterinarian.
- SCDNR says injured or truly orphaned wild animals should be referred to an experienced wildlife rehabilitator.
- SCDNR says nuisance wildlife control is the responsibility of the individual property owner.
- Greenville County lists separate county and city animal control contacts, showing split local responsibility in some areas.
Local animal control offices in South Carolina
| Office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville County Animal Care Greenville | Greenville | 864.467.3950 | County animal care office with shelter, lost-and-found, rehoming, and other pet services. |
| Greenville County Animal Control Greenville | Greenville | 864.467.7595 | County animal control serves unincorporated Greenville County. |
| Richland County Animal Services Richland | Columbia | Not published* | Richland County says to make one call or email through the Ombudsman to report animal service issues. |
| Charleston County Sheriff's Office Animal Control Office Charleston | North Charleston | (843) 529-5339 | Sheriff-run county animal control handles stray domestic animals, injured domestic animals, and neglect or abuse investigations. |
| Lexington County Animal Services Lexington | Lexington | (803) 785-8149 | County animal services picks up stray dogs, enforces restraint ordinances, and has an officer on call around the clock for emergencies. |
| Horry County Animal Care Center Horry | Conway | (843) 915-5172 | County animal care center page lists shelter contact information, hours, and county shelter services. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- If a person is bitten, wash the wound, get medical care, and report the incident to the correct county DPH rabies office.
- If the animal problem is wildlife, use SCDNR’s wildlife rehabilitator registry or wildlife control operator list instead of regular pet services.
- Check whether you are inside a city or in unincorporated county territory before calling local animal control.
Not seeing your office or county?
Not every office publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from South Carolina's population center, for comparison only):
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control, North Carolina · about 82 miles
- Cumberland County Animal Services, North Carolina · about 136 miles
- Guilford County Animal Control, North Carolina · about 157 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.SC DPH Rabies Contacts and Reporting
Website →Phone: (888) 847-0902 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the South Carolina page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.