{"data":{"id":"us-sc/s.c.-code-ann.-47-21-20","jurisdiction":"us-sc","citation":"S.C. Code Ann. § 47-21-20","heading":"Definitions.","body":"As used in this chapter:\n(1) \"Actor\" means a person accused of any of the offenses defined in this chapter.\n(2) \"Animal\" means a warm- or cold-blooded animal used in food or fiber production, agriculture, research, testing, or education, including poultry, fish, and insects.\n(3) \"Animal facility\" includes a vehicle, building, structure, or premises where an animal is kept, tested, handled, housed, exhibited, bred, or offered for sale and includes a research facility where research or testing on animals is conducted.\n(4) \"Consent\" means assent in fact, whether express or apparent.\n(5) \"Crop operation\" includes a vehicle, building, structure, or premises where a crop is raised, maintained, tested, handled, housed, exhibited, or offered for sale and includes a research facility where research on or testing of crops is conducted.\n(6) \"Deprive\" means:\n(a) to withhold an animal or other property from the owner permanently or for such an extended time that a major portion of the value or enjoyment of the animal or property is lost to the owner;\n(b) to restore the animal or other property only upon payment for reward or other compensation; or\n(c) to dispose of an animal or other property in a manner that makes recovery of the animal or property by the owner unlikely.\n(7) \"Effective consent\" includes consent by a person legally authorized to act for the owner. Consent is not effective if:\n(a) induced by force, threat, false pretenses, or fraud;\n(b) given by a person the actor knows is not legally authorized to act for the owner;\n(c) given by a person who by reason of youth, mental disease or defect, or intoxication is known by the actor to be unable to make reasonable decisions; or\n(d) given solely to detect the commission of an offense.\n(8) \"Owner\" means a person who has title to the property, possession of the property, whether lawful or not, or a greater right to possession of the property than the actor.\n(9) \"Person\" means an individual, corporation, association, nonprofit corporation, joint-stock company, firm, trust, partnership, two or more persons having a joint or common interest, or other legal entity.\n(10) \"Possession\" means actual care, custody, control, or management.","path":["Title 47 - ANIMALS, LIVESTOCK, AND POULTRY","CHAPTER 21 Farm Animal, Crop Operation, and Research Facilities Protection Act","ARTICLE 1 Citation and Definitions"],"source_url":"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t47c021.php","current_through":"2025 Session of the General Assembly","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-02T07:41:24Z","sha256":"5a2cbea6b26ef0ad833e1a8a8cecab995a251232c14521a782045c7003cf72e9","source_id":"us-sc","stale":false,"prev":"us-sc/s.c.-code-ann.-47-21-10","next":"us-sc/s.c.-code-ann.-47-21-30"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}