If your puppy is sick
South Carolina law protects people who buy dogs and cats from pet dealers, pet shops and breeders selling registered or registerable dogs and cats.
What you can ask for
- Return the puppy for a refund, including sales tax, plus vet fees
- Keep it plus vet fees and future treatment costs
- Exchange it plus vet fees
Minimum age to sell a puppy
In South Carolina a puppy must be at least 8 weeks unless it is with its mother old to be sold.
Federal Animal Welfare Act rules (9 C.F.R. § 2.130) bar licensed dealers from shipping puppies under 8 weeks old that are not weaned, in every state.
What to do if you bought a sick puppy
- Take the puppy to a veterinarian right away and ask for the diagnosis in writing, within 14 days of the sale.
- Tell the seller in writing, with a copy of the veterinarian's statement, and keep proof that you sent it.
- Choose what you want: a refund, an exchange or keeping the puppy with the vet costs paid, as far as the law allows.
- Keep everything: the contract, the ad, messages, receipts and vet records.
- If the seller refuses, contact the consumer protection office of the South Carolina attorney general or file in small claims court.
Buying a puppy in South Carolina
We list 295 dog breeders in South Carolina, with phone, website, public reviews and a map.
This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Laws change and have exceptions: read the statute or ask the consumer protection office of your state attorney general before you act.
Summary based on the state statutes as listed by the Animal Legal & Historical Center of Michigan State University College of Law (purchaser protection laws as of 2023, minimum sale age as of 2025).
Questions
Does South Carolina have a puppy lemon law?
Yes. South Carolina law (S.C. Code § 47-13-160) protects people who buy dogs and cats from pet dealers, pet shops and breeders selling registered or registerable dogs and cats. You have 14 days after the sale to have a veterinarian certify an illness, and 6 months for a congenital or hereditary defect.
How long do I have to return a sick puppy in South Carolina?
14 days from the sale for an illness or disease, and 6 months for a congenital or hereditary defect. A veterinarian has to examine the puppy and put the problem in writing within that time, and the law only covers sales by pet dealers, pet shops and breeders selling registered or registerable dogs and cats.
How old does a puppy have to be to be sold in South Carolina?
At least 8 weeks unless it is with its mother. The rule applies to any person (S.C. Code § 47-1-200).
Does the South Carolina lemon law cover private breeders?
It covers pet dealers, pet shops and breeders selling registered or registerable dogs and cats. A small hobby breeder may fall outside it, so ask for a written contract with a health guarantee whoever you buy from.