Animal Cruelty Laws Are Too Weak and Shelters Are Overwhelmed

The Challenge: South Carolina's animal cruelty penalties are among the weakest in the region, while shelters report severe overcrowding and underfunding. What do South Carolinians think? Residents describe a state that has fallen behind. One wrote: "animals literally cannot advocate for themselves and suffer tremendously in SC — our shelters are past completely filled and horribly underfunded." Another, who moved to SC three years ago, said they were "amazed at the level of abuse, neglect and cruelty" and the "very lenient punishment for abusers."