South Carolina § 47-3-770 - When person is lawfully on premises; authority to use force to repel attack by dangerous animal when lawfully on premises; no liability for action taken to repel or restrain unprovoked attack of dangerous animal.

§ 47-3-770. When person is lawfully on premises; authority to use force to repel attack by dangerous animal when lawfully on premises; no liability for action taken to repel or restrain unprovoked attack of dangerous animal.

(A) A person lawfully is upon the premises of the owner within the meaning of this article when he is on the premises in the performance of a duty imposed upon him by the laws of this State, by the laws or postal regulations of the United States, when he is on the premises upon invitation, expressed or implied, of the owner, or when he is in the performance of a duty relative to public safety, which includes policemen, firemen, or other authorized personnel. A person may ingress to and egress from the premises for a purpose connected with the performance of the public safety duty.

(B) A person who lawfully is on the owner's premises and who is attacked by a dangerous animal or witnesses the attack may use reasonable force to repel the attack. A person is not liable in damages or otherwise for action to repel or action taken to restrain or control an animal from an unprovoked attack.

HISTORY: 1988 Act No. 515, eff May 9, 1988; 1992 Act No. 374, SECTION 1, eff May 19, 1992.