Title 3.2, Title 3.2. Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food

A. Every new owner of a dog or cat adopted from a releasing agency shall cause to be sterilized the dog or cat pursuant to the agreement required by subdivision 2 of subsection B of this article. B. A dog or cat shall not be released for adoption from a releasing agency unless: 1…

Any agreement used by a releasing agency pursuant to subsection B of § 3.2-6574 shall contain: 1. The date of the agreement; 2. The names, addresses, and signatures of the releasing agency and the new owner; 3. A description of the dog or cat to be adopted; 4. The date by which t…

Each new owner who signs a sterilization agreement shall, within seven days of the sterilization, cause to be delivered or mailed to the releasing agency written confirmation signed by the veterinarian who performed the sterilization. The confirmation shall briefly describe the d…

If an adopted dog or cat is lost or stolen or dies before the animal is sterilized and before the date by which the dog or cat is required to be sterilized, the new owner shall, within seven days of the animal's disappearance or death, notify the releasing agency of the animal's …

This article shall not apply to: 1. An owner reclaiming his dog or cat from a releasing agency; 2. A releasing agency within a locality that has adopted a more stringent mandatory sterilization ordinance; and 3. A local governing body that has disposed of an animal by sale or gif…

A local governing body or releasing agency may charge and collect from the new owner a fee or deposit before releasing a dog or cat for adoption to ensure sterilization.

Any animal control officer, humane investigator, releasing agency, the State Veterinarian or State Veterinarian's representative shall be entitled to bring a civil action for any violation of this article that is subject to a civil penalty. Any civil penalty assessed pursuant to …

As used in this article: "Adequate confinement" means that, while on the property of its owner and not under the direct supervision and control of the owner or custodian, a hybrid canine shall be confined in a humane manner in a securely enclosed and locked structure of sufficien…

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.