Q: I'm a South Carolina dog groomer, I have a parrot whose owner not came back to pick up for 1 yr

A: Here is the process for selling the animal and getting to assert a lien against the sales proceeds for all costs that you have:

SECTION 29-15-60. Animal boarding facilities; liens upon animals for boarding expenses.

The owner of an animal boarding facility, at the end of an agreed upon term of boarding, shall have a lien upon any animal which is left with him for upkeep, rest, and training until the cost of the upkeep, rest, and training has been paid by the owner of the animal. The owner of the animal shall also be responsible for payment of the cost of upkeep, rest, and training of the animal after notice of the lien. If the owner of the animal has not paid the cost of upkeep, rest, and training of the animal after actual notice of the lien within ten days of such notice, the animal boarding facility owner may sell the animal after having advertised the time and place of the sale in a newspaper having general circulation in the county wherein the animal boarding facility is located at least seven days before the sale is to be held. After the sale of the animal, the owner of the animal boarding facility may deduct the cost of the upkeep, rest, and training of the animal before and after date of the notice of the lien, plus all expenses incurred from the advertising and sale provided in this section, and shall submit the balance of the proceeds of the sale to the previous owner of the animal. If the animal is not purchased at the advertised sale, the owner of the animal boarding facility shall become the owner of the animal with all the rights, privileges, and obligations of ownership. A transfer of ownership pursuant to this section entitles the new owner of the animal to obtain the breed registration certificate for the animal from the organization or association which issued the certificate.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 45-554.1; 1961 (52) 135; 1997 Act No. 119, Section 1.