Title 3.2, Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food

A. Any locality may, by ordinance, establish a permit system to ensure the adequate confinement and responsible ownership of hybrid canines. Such ordinance may include requirements pertaining to (i) the term and expiration date of the permit; (ii) the number of hybrid canines tha…

It shall be the duty of any animal control officer or other officer who may find a hybrid canine in the act of killing or injuring livestock or poultry to kill such hybrid canine forthwith, whether such hybrid canine bears a tag or not. Any person finding a hybrid canine committi…

Any person who has any livestock or poultry killed or injured by any hybrid canine not his own shall be entitled to receive as compensation the fair market value of such livestock or poultry not to exceed $750 per animal or $10 per fowl if (i) the claimant has furnished evidence …

All dogs and cats shall be deemed personal property and may be the subject of larceny and malicious or unlawful trespass. Owners, as defined in § 3.2-6500, may maintain any action for the killing of any such animals, or injury thereto, or unlawful detention or use thereof as in t…

Any veterinarian, public or private animal shelter, or releasing agency that releases or receives companion animals for adoption or is authorized to euthanize companion animals shall seek to identify the lawful owner of each unidentified companion animal submitted to it, includin…

The owner of any companion animal that is injured or killed by a dog shall be entitled to recover damages consistent with the provisions of § 3.2-6585 from the owner of such dog in an appropriate action at law if: (i) the injury occurred on the premises of the companion animal's …

A. The following shall be unlawful acts and are Class 4 misdemeanors: 1. For any person to make a false statement in order to secure a dog or cat license to which he is not entitled. 2. For any dog or cat owner to fail to pay any license tax required by this chapter before Februa…

A. It is unlawful for a person to, without just cause, willfully impede or interfere with the duties performed by a dog if the person knows or has reason to believe the dog is a guide or leader dog. A violation of this subsection is a Class 3 misdemeanor. B. It is unlawful for a …

It is unlawful for any person to sell a garment containing the hide, fur, or pelt that he knows to be that of a domestic dog or cat. A violation of this section is punishable by a fine of not more than $10,000.

A. It is unlawful for any person to (i) use electricity, martingales, or block and tackle, engage in physical punishment resulting in damage, scarring, or breaking of skin, or insert any instrument into any bodily orifice of an elephant to discipline an elephant; (ii) use a bullh…

Unless otherwise provided, the provisions of this article may be enforced by any general district court in cities or counties wherein the offense is committed or the offender or owner may be found. Every such offender shall have the right of appeal to the appropriate circuit cour…

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Alternative test method" means a test method that (i) provides information of equivalent or better scientific quality and relevance than animal test methods, (ii) has been identified by a validation body a…

A. No manufacturer or contract testing facility shall use an animal test method when an alternative test method is available. B. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the use of a test method that does not use animals. C. This section shall not apply to any manufacturer or contr…

Any person or entity that breeds dogs or cats, including dogs or cats regulated under federal law as research animals, for sale or transfer to an animal testing facility shall be required to keep accurate records of each dog or cat purchased, acquired, owned, held, or otherwise i…

The Attorney General may bring a civil action in the appropriate circuit court for injunctive relief to enforce the provisions of this article. Any person who violates any provision of this article may, upon such finding by an appropriate circuit court, be subject to a civil pena…

Any breeder or animal testing facility that no longer has need for a dog or cat in its possession that does not pose a health or safety risk to the public or welfare of the animal shall (i) offer for release such dog or cat to a releasing agency for eventual adoption or for adopt…

A. For the purposes of this section: "Animal" means any live vertebrate nonhuman species except fish. "Animal testing facility" means any facility of a state agency or institution of higher education that confines and uses animals for research, education, testing, or other experi…

A. For the purposes of this section: "Certified sanctuary" means any facility that provides temporary or permanent safe haven to nonhuman primates that is fully accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries or certified by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. "Nonhu…

As used in this article: "Dangerous captive animal" means any bear, cougar, jaguar, leopard, lion, nonhuman primate, or tiger, or any hybrid of any such animal. "Dangerous captive animal" does not include a clouded leopard. "Direct contact" means physical contact or proximity whe…

It is unlawful for any keeper to provide or offer to provide to any member of the public, for free or for a cost, direct contact with a dangerous captive animal.

Any person who violates any provision of this article is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor and is subject to a fine of not more than $500.

No commercial dog breeder shall breed dogs in the Commonwealth without a valid business license issued by any locality, as applicable, where he maintains dogs for the purpose of commercial dog breeding.

Commercial dog breeders shall: 1. Maintain no more than 50 dogs over the age of one year at any time for breeding purposes. However, a higher number of dogs may be allowed if approved by local ordinance after a public hearing. Any such ordinance may include additional requirement…

A. The Commissioner, the State Veterinarian or his assistant, any animal control officer, and any public health or safety official employed by the locality where a commercial dog breeder resides or maintains breeding operations may, upon receiving a complaint or upon his own moti…

It is unlawful for a commercial dog breeder to operate or maintain a controlling interest in any releasing agency.

Any commercial dog breeder violating any provision of this article is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

It shall be the duty of each attorney for the Commonwealth to enforce this article.