Terms Used In Virginia Code > Title 3.2 > Subtitle II > Part A - General Provisions

• Abused or neglected child: means the same as that term is defined in § 63. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
• Administrative act: includes an action, omission, decision, recommendation, practice, or other procedure of the Department, a local department, or a child-placing agency with respect to a particular child related to adoption, foster care, or protective services. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
• Brand: means any recorded identification mark applied to any position on the hide of a live animal by means of heat, freezing, acid or chemical, except tattoo marks in the ear or numbers used to keep production records, record of age or identification marks used by any governmental agency. See Virginia Code 3.2-6100
• Central registry: means the system maintained at the Department of Social Services pursuant to § 63. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
• Child: means an individual under the age of 18. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
• Child-placing agency: means (i) any person who places children in foster homes, adoptive homes, or independent living arrangements pursuant to § 63. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
• Child-serving agency: means (i) a state agency that provides services to children, including the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Department of Education, the Department of Health, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Social Services, and the Office of Children's Services, and (ii) a local entity that provides services to children and that receives funding from a state agency under clause (i). See Virginia Code 2.2-438
• Complainant: means an individual who makes a complaint pursuant to § 2. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
• Department: means the Department of Social Services. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• Engages in an equine activity: means : (i) any person, whether mounted or unmounted, who rides, handles, trains, drives, assists in providing medical or therapeutic treatment of, or is a passenger upon an equine; (ii) any person who participates in an equine activity but does not necessarily ride, handle, train, drive, or ride as a passenger upon an equine; (iii) any person visiting, touring or utilizing an equine facility as part of an event or activity; or (iv) any person who assists a participant or equine activity sponsor or management in an equine activity. See Virginia Code 3.2-6200
• Equine: means a horse, pony, mule, donkey, or hinny. See Virginia Code 3.2-6200
• Equine activity: means : (i) equine shows, fairs, competitions, performances, or parades that involve any or all breeds of equines and any of the equine disciplines, including dressage, hunter and jumper horse shows, grand prix jumping, three-day events, combined training, rodeos, driving, pulling, cutting, polo, steeple chasing, endurance trail riding and western games, and hunting; (ii) equine training or teaching activities; (iii) boarding equines; (iv) riding, inspecting, or evaluating an equine belonging to another whether or not the owner has received some monetary consideration or other thing of value for the use of the equine or is permitting a prospective purchaser of the equine to ride, inspect, or evaluate the equine; (v) rides, trips, hunts, or other equine activities of any type however informal or impromptu that are sponsored by an equine activity sponsor; (vi) conducting general hoofcare, including placing or replacing horseshoes or hoof trimming of an equine; and (vii) providing or assisting in breeding or therapeutic veterinary treatment. See Virginia Code 3.2-6200
• Equine activity sponsor: means any person or his agent who, for profit or not for profit, sponsors, organizes, or provides the facilities for an equine activity, including pony clubs, 4-H clubs, hunt clubs, riding clubs, school- and college-sponsored classes and programs, therapeutic riding programs, and operators, instructors, and promoters of equine facilities, including stables, clubhouses, ponyride strings, fairs, and arenas where the activity is held. See Virginia Code 3.2-6200
• Federal statute: means a federal statute that is in accord with the United States Constitution imposing mandates on state or local governments, which may include, but is not limited to, the following:

  1. See Virginia Code 2.2-617

• Foster care: means care provided to a child by a foster parent, children's residential facility, or group home licensed or approved by the Department under Chapter 9 of Title 63. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Horse: means any stallion, colt, gelding, mare, or filly. See Virginia Code 3.2-5900
• Law-enforcement agency: means any crime victim and witness assistance program whose funding is provided in whole or in part by grants administered by the Department of Criminal Justice Services pursuant to § 9. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
• Livestock: includes all domestic or domesticated bovine animals; equine animals; ovine animals; porcine animals; cervidae animals; capradae animals; animals of the genus Lama or Vicugna; ratites; fish or shellfish in aquaculture facilities, as defined in § 3. See Virginia Code 3.2-5900
• Livestock market: means a place where a person assembles livestock for public sale if such person is required to procure a license or permit from the Department to operate such market. See Virginia Code 3.2-6100
• Local department: means the local department of social services of any county or city in the Commonwealth. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
• Office: means the Office of the Children's Ombudsman established under § 2. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
• Ombudsman: means the individual appointed to head the Office of the Children's Ombudsman under § 2. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
• Participant: means any person, whether amateur or professional, who engages in an equine activity, whether or not a fee is paid to participate in the equine activity. See Virginia Code 3.2-6200