Can minors be charged with animal cruelty?

First, when a minor is tried as a juvenile, he or she is not charged with a specific crime but is instead charged with being delinquent.  So, a minor would likely be charged delinquent because of cruelty to animals.  If found delinquent, the judge would determine the sentence. 

However, the judge may decide that the juvenile should be tried as an adult and the juvenile would be sent to the circuit court and charged with cruelty to animals under Chapter 1 of Title 47 of the South Carolina Code.