South Carolina is famous for Hilton Head, Charleston, Kiawah Island, the Confederate Flag on the court house steps, and oyster roasts.  It’s about to become an avant garde state in terms of animal rights and protection.

House Bill 833, or the Anti-Chain Bill, as animal activists call it, would prohibit an animal from being tethered for more than a certain number of hours a day and if tethered, would require certain mandatory lengths of the tether.  This is a fantastic bill to stop hundreds of animals from suffering in the South Carolina heat in summer and freezing in the winter because of morons who think animals should be chained and not cared for.  A tethered animal turns into a bad animal over time.  If you don’t believe that just talk to some animal behaviorists or better yet, go try and pet one that’s been tied up for say…two years.

Another bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Jake Knotts would require any motorist who hits a dog, cat or horse to stop at the scene and report the accident so the police can get the animal treatment.  If you choose not to do that and drive off, the fine could be as high as $500.  Opponents of the bill cite the usual transparent lists of inconveniences that it would put on motorists who intentionally (that’s right) or unintentionally (more likely than not) hit an animal:

1. Increase accidents by forcing drivers to stop to avoid the animal while it is being cared for- Anyone who’s ever tried to drive over a horse dead in the middle of the road knows that it’s a bigger cause of accidents than people stopping.  Here’s another question:  Do you want people on the road driving with you who would run over an animal lying in the road who is injured?
2. Overburdening Law Enforcement- Actually, most law enforcement officers I know hate to see animals killed or injured and would gladly go on a call to help them.
3. Punishing Motorists rather than the careless pet owners- You are only punished if you drive off.  It doesn’t make you a criminal if you drive off, it just reinforces the fact that you are an insensitive jerk who gets to pay a fine for the insensitivity.
4. Creating confrontations between motorists and pet owners- Here’s my thought on this:  If you hit my pet accidentally in the road and don’t stop I’m going to be angry with you but I’m going to look after my pet first.  If you hit my pet on purpose in the road, I’m going to look after my pet and then I’m going to hunt you down like a rabid dog. 

I’d like to see both these laws used as model legislation in states that haven’t addressed these issues. 

In terms of South Carolina, don’t forget to visit Charleston and Kiawah and to thank Senator Jake Knotts for being a great human being.  If I lived there he would get my vote.