ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WIS) – A new pet ordinance went in to effect in Orangeburg County on Wednesday.
Orangeburg County animal control officers said they are seeing more pets not spayed or neutered, which has led to overcrowding at the county animal shelter.
”It is a problem in our county,” said Jasmine Quarles, Orangeburg County’s Animal Control Manager. “You see strays walking down the streets and strays coming into people’s yards and they want them gone. Our shelters are full because we have so many strays.”
For any dog or cat that is spayed or neutered, the ordinance requires owners to pay a $1 annual registration fee.
For those pets who aren’t, the fee goes up to $50 a year per animal.
”Me having a pet, I just feel like that’s just a bit much on top of taking care of the pet and vet fees and everything else,” said Jasmine Owens, a Orangeburg County Resident. “I feel like once you pay for the pet, we shouldn’t have to pay for an ordinance. I also understand that, it could potentially help with animal control.”
The ordinance has a few exemptions including for pet owners who are seniors age 65 and older and for pets who are adopted. Exemptions also include service animals and hunting dogs.
“By doing this, we can hold people accountable and we can actually have something in the ordinance that focuses on spayed and neutered,” said Quarles. “Before, we never had anything. We couldn’t even charge people if their animals weren’t fixed. We’re trying to get in that 21st century mindset of where this is gonna help the community and make sure everybody gets their animals spayed and neutered.”
Quarles said any resident who fails to register their dog or cat faces a $250 fine.
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