Title 3.2, Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food

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.

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Board" means the Virginia Spirits Board. "Cooper" means a commercial producer of wooden casks, barrels, and other staved wooden containers who sells at least $10,000 worth of such wooden containers of a ty…

A. The Virginia Spirits Board is established within the Department. The purpose of the Board is to foster the development of the Virginia spirits industry by expanding spirits research, increasing education, and promoting the production of ingredients necessary for alcohol distil…

Following the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall serve terms of four years, which shall begin on July 1 of the year of the appointment. The Commissioner shall serve a term coincident with his term of office. Appointments to fill vacancies, other tha…

A. The Board shall elect a chairman and other officers as deemed necessary from among its membership. B. Members of the Board shall receive no compensation for the discharge of their duties, but the nonlegislative citizen members shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary e…

The Board shall have the power and duty to: 1. Receive and dispense funds or donations from the Virginia Spirits Promotion Fund; 2. Enter into contracts for the purpose of developing new or improved markets or marketing methods for spirits products; 3. Contract for research servi…

A. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Virginia Spirits Promotion Fund, hereafter referred to as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. The Fund shall consist of all moneys appropriated t…

To help defray the costs of its program, the Board may (i) publish materials with printed advertisements; (ii) sell printed materials; (iii) rent exhibit space at meetings or other events; (iv) charge entrance or participation fees; and (v) engage in other revenue-producing activ…

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Authority" means the Virginia Resources Authority created in Chapter 21 (§ 62.1-197 et seq.) of Title 62.1. "Commission" means the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission created pursuant to § 3.2-3101. "…

A. There shall be set apart as a permanent and perpetual fund, to be known as the Virginia Tobacco Region Revolving Fund, with a sum of up to $50 million made available from (i) the corpus of the taxable portion of the Endowment paid to the Fund per request from the Commission wi…

A. All money belonging to the Fund shall be deposited in an account or accounts in banks or trust companies organized under the laws of the Commonwealth, national banking associations located in the Commonwealth, or savings institutions located in the Commonwealth and organized u…

The Authority is empowered to collect, or to authorize others to collect on its behalf, amounts due to the Fund under any loan to a local government, including, if appropriate, by taking the action required by § 15.2-2659 or 62.1-216.1 to obtain payment of any amounts in default.…

A. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, money in the Fund shall be used solely to make loans to local governments to finance or refinance the cost of any project that has an identifiable revenue stream from which the loan proceeds may be repaid. The local government to w…

A. The Authority is empowered at any time and from time to time to pledge, assign, or transfer from the Fund to banks or trust companies designated by the Authority any or all of the assets of the Fund to be held in trust as security for the payment of the principal of, premium, …

The Authority is empowered at any time and from time to time to sell, upon such terms and conditions as the Authority shall deem appropriate, any loan, or interest therein, made pursuant to this chapter. The net proceeds of sale remaining after the payment of the costs and expens…

The Authority is authorized to do any act necessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers granted in this chapter or reasonably implied thereby.

The Commission, in conjunction with the Authority, shall report annually to the General Assembly and the Governor on all loans made from the Fund.

The provisions of this chapter shall be liberally construed to the end that its beneficial purposes may be effectuated. Insofar as the provisions of this chapter are inconsistent with the provisions of any other law, general, special, or local, the provisions of this chapter shal…

For the purposes of this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning: "DCR" means the Department of Conservation and Recreation. "Farm Act" means the federal Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, P.L. 115-334, or subsequent federal farm program authorizing legislation…

A. The Commissioner shall establish and administer the Dairy Producer Margin Coverage Premium Assistance Program to assist dairy producers that participate in the federal coverage program. B. Any dairy producer in the Commonwealth that participates in the federal coverage program…

There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Dairy Producer Margin Coverage Premium Assistance Program Fund. The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. All funds appropriated for such purpose and any gifts, donat…

The Commissioner shall submit an annual report no later than December 1 of each year to the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources assessing the effectiveness of the Program in p…

The provisions of this chapter shall expire on July 1, 2028.

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Cannabis sativa product" means a product made from any part of the plant Cannabis sativa with a concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol that is greater than that allowed by federal law. "Edible hemp product"…