SC Youth Soccer Animal Policy

Please review the following updated animal policy that is effective immediately for all SC Youth Soccer events, outlining that no animals, including but not limited to dogs, are permitted at SC Youth Soccer sanctioned events.

Click here to view the SC Youth Soccer Animal Policy

Section 1. Purpose

  1. The aim of this policy is to ensure the safety and security of players, officials, and spectators; as well as any other stakeholders at sanctioned SCYS events.
  2. Any soccer activity or event organized by SCYS or a SCYS Member Club, is considered a sanctioned SCYS event. This includes but is not limited to:
    1. Training
    2. Matches (League or Exhibition)
    3. Tournaments
    4. Cups
  3. In the area of the game, is at the discretion of the referee, coaches and club officials and applies to all animals that are in attendance with a spectator; this area could include, but is not limited to, sidelines, technical areas, behind the goals.


Section 2. Animals at Sanctioned Events

  1. No animals, including but not limited to dogs, are permitted in the area of the game, at SC Youth Soccer sanctioned events, outlined in Section 1. Purpose, subsection b).
  2. Service animals or those in training for guests with disabilities are allowed.
    1. However, if acting in a manner not consistent with a service animal, they will be subject to this policy.
  3. ‘Emotional support’ animals are not allowed.


Section 3. Enforcement and Removal

  1. Any animal within the area of the game will cause an activity to be suspended immediately by the referee
    at their discretion, or at the discretion of either coach, until the animal has been removed.
  2. Upon suspending a match, the referee will ask coaches to identify and remove the spectator with the animal. Play will not resume until the referee and coaches agree that the animal is not within the area of the game.
  3. If play cannot resume, the match will be abandoned.
  4. Privately owned complexes may ban the attendance of animals on their property at their discretion and
    determine that the area of the game is the whole property.


Section 4. Suspensions and Fines

  1. If play cannot resume due to an individual refusing to remove their animal from area of the game, the following suspensions and fines will be issued to the club of the offending individual:
    1. $500.00 fine.
    2. A club wide spectator ban for fourteen (14) days that can be carried into the next season.
    3. Abandoned matches will result in a 3-0 loss for the club of the offending spectator.