Dog tattoos could soon be a crime

Tattooing or piercing a pet in South Carolina soon could get you a punishment worse than a smack from a rolled-up newspaper.

A S.C. House bill calls for anyone tattooing or piercing a pet for any reason, other than identification or medical purposes, to pay up to $1,000 in fines and spend up to 30 days in prison.

A House agricultural panel will hold a hearing on the proposal Wednesday.

Rep. Todd Atwater, a Lexington Republican who sponsored the bill, said he is unaware of anyone tattooing or piercing pets in South Carolina. Wayne Brennessel, executive director for the Humane Society of South Carolina, said he has heard about isolated incidents.

Atwater said he introduced the bill after hearing from a New York lawmaker who reported pet owners in that state were tattooing and piercing hairless cats and Chihuahuas. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a law banning the practice in December.

“It might not be going on here, but why allow this kind of cruelty at all in South Carolina?” Atwater said.

Andrew Shain,

The (Columbia) State

This story was originally published April 14, 2015 at 10:44 PM with the headline "Dog tattoos could soon be a crime."