LAURENS COUNTY, S.C. — The Laurens County Sheriff’s Animal Shelter, which serves Clinton and the rest of the county, now holds 31 more dogs than it was designed for, and the sheriff’s office says it is getting tougher on owners who break animal care laws.
The shelter reported this week that it is housing 115 dogs in a building meant for 84. Over the past month alone, deputies issued 138 citations for inhumane treatment, abandonment and other violations.
Intake numbers show how the shelter filled up. It has taken in 420 dogs since Jan. 1, and the sheriff’s office said not one of them was a true stray. Every dog had an owner at some point.
Shelter officials said the time for excuses has passed. They are asking residents to act as responsible owners, have their pets spayed or neutered and follow the county’s animal laws.
Enforcement could get sharper soon. At its most recent regular meeting, Laurens County Council gave first reading to a change that spells out first and second offenses under the animal control ordinance it adopted recently, which would define when deputies are able to levy a fine.
Crowding is not new for the shelter on Mount Vernon Church Road in Laurens. In February 2024, citing limited space, crowding, safety worries and tight budgets, the sheriff’s office animal control unit waived adoption fees for its dogs, with spay or neuter surgery, a microchip and vaccinations included.
Section: More Clinton SC crime news
Filed under: Clinton SC Public Safety News
