The Humane Society of Marlboro County has no jurisdiction to investigate animal cruelty or neglect complaints. We work with the Marlboro County Codes Enforcement Officer (Marlboro County Public Works) and the City of Bennettsville Animal Control Officer (City of Bennettsville Administration), as well as, the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office and the City of Bennettsville Police Department to report animal abuse and neglect.
We are, however, committed to assisting law enforcement in complaints and resolution of animal cruelty and neglect. Animal cruelty encompasses a range of behaviors harmful to animals from neglect to malicious killing. Most cruelty cases are unintentional neglect that can be resolved through education and resources.
Intentional cruelty or abuse is knowingly depriving an animal of food, water, shelter, or veterinary care or maliciously torturing, maiming, mutilating or killing an animal. Research shows a well-documented link that animal cruelty is a predictive or co-occurring crime with violence against humans (including intimate partners, children, and elders) and is associated with other types of violent offenses. Read more about the Link here and here.
Animal hoarding is a situation that happens when someone has collected so many animals that they are unable to provide proper care for them.
City of Bennettsville
To report animal abuse, neglect or cruelty in the City of Bennettsville, please call Animal Services at (843) 479–3620
City ordinances regarding animals and pets can be found here.
Marlboro County
To report abuse, neglect or animal cruelty in Marlboro County, please call the Marlboro County Code Enforcement at (843) 479 – 5602 ext. 13.
County ordinances regarding animals and pets can be found here.
State of South Carolina Animal Ordinances can be found here.
There is an animal control officer on call around the clock. However, due to the size of the County, the officers can only respond to emergency calls after normal business hours and on the weekends. The calls that are considered emergency calls are animal bites, or other public safety organizations requesting assistance. These are handled by E911 dispatch.
*If you have been bitten by an animal call, 911 so that a report may be created, DHEC can be notified and the animal can be quarantined for observation for (10) days