§ 3.2-6537 Ordinances; penalties
§ 3.2-6537.1 Cash bond for a pet shop obtaining certain dogs
§ 3.2-6538 Governing body of any locality may prohibit dogs from running at large; civil penalty
§ 3.2-6539 Ordinance requiring dogs to be kept on leash
§ 3.2-6540 Dangerous dogs; investigation, summons, and hearing
§ 3.2-6540.01 Obligations of officer and owner following dangerous dog finding
§ 3.2-6540.02 Notice of dangerous dog finding; penalty
§ 3.2-6540.03 Violation of law by owner of dangerous dog; penalty
§ 3.2-6540.04 Subsequent attack or bite by dangerous dog; penalty
§ 3.2-6540.1 Vicious dogs; penalties
§ 3.2-6541 Authority to prohibit training of attack dogs
§ 3.2-6541.1 Authority to prohibit ownership of particular breed
§ 3.2-6542 Establishment of Dangerous Dog Registry
§ 3.2-6542.1 Renewal of dangerous dog registration
§ 3.2-6542.2 Dangerous dog fees; local fund
§ 3.2-6543 Governing body of any locality may adopt certain ordinances
§ 3.2-6543.1 Authority to enact parallel dangerous dog ordinance
§ 3.2-6544 Regulation of keeping of animals and fowl
§ 3.2-6545 Regulation of sale of animals procured from animal shelters
§ 3.2-6546 County or city public animal shelters; confinement and disposition of animals; affiliation with foster care providers; penalties; injunctive relief
§ 3.2-6547 Acceptance of animals for research or experimentation; prohibition
§ 3.2-6548 Private animal shelters; confinement and disposition of animals; affiliation with foster care providers; penalties; injunctive relief
§ 3.2-6549 Releasing agencies other than public or private animal shelters; confinement and disposition of companion animals; recordkeeping; affiliation with foster care providers; penaltie
§ 3.2-6550 Requirements for foster homes; penalty
§ 3.2-6551 Notification by individuals finding companion animals; penalty
§ 3.2-6552 Dogs killing, injuring, or chasing livestock or poultry
§ 3.2-6553 Compensation for livestock and poultry killed by dogs
§ 3.2-6554 Disposal of dead companion animals

Terms Used In Virginia Code > Title 3.2 > Subtitle V > Chapter 65 > Article 6 - Authority of Local Governing Bodies

  • Adequate space: means sufficient space to allow each animal to (i) easily stand, sit, lie, turn about, and make all other normal body movements in a comfortable, normal position for the animal and (ii) interact safely with other animals in the enclosure. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Adoption: means the transfer of ownership of a dog or a cat, or any other companion animal, from a releasing agency to an individual. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Adult: means a person 18 years of age or more. See Virginia Code 1-203
  • Affiliate: means a person related to a licensee by common ownership or control, or any employee or agent of a licensee. See Virginia Code 6.2-2200
  • Agricultural animals: means all livestock and poultry. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Animal: means any nonhuman vertebrate species except fish. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Animal control officer: means a person appointed as an animal control officer or deputy animal control officer as provided in § 3. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Annual percentage rate: The cost of credit at a yearly rate. It is calculated in a standard way, taking the average compound interest rate over the term of the loan so borrowers can compare loans. Lenders are required by law to disclose a card account's APR. Source: FDIC
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • Bequest: Property gifted by will.
  • broker: means a person that, for compensation or the expectation of compensation, obtains or offers to obtain sales-based financing from a provider for a recipient. See Virginia Code 6.2-2228
  • care: means the responsible practice of good animal husbandry, handling, production, management, confinement, feeding, watering, protection, shelter, transportation, treatment, and, when necessary, euthanasia, appropriate for the age, species, condition, size and type of the animal and the provision of veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering or impairment of health. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Chief: means the Chief of the Division of Mines of the Department of Energy. See Virginia Code 45.2-100
  • City: means an independent incorporated community which became a city as provided by law before noon on July 1, 1971, or which has within defined boundaries a population of 5,000 or more and which has become a city as provided by law. See Virginia Code 1-208
  • Collar: means a well-fitted device, appropriate to the age and size of the animal, attached to the animal's neck in such a way as to prevent trauma or injury to the animal. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Commission: means the State Corporation Commission. See Virginia Code 13.1-559
  • Commission: means the State Corporation Commission. See Virginia Code 6.2-100
  • Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Financial Institutions. See Virginia Code 6.2-100
  • Companion animal: means any domestic or feral dog, domestic or feral cat, nonhuman primate, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit not raised for human food or fiber, exotic or native animal, reptile, exotic or native bird, or any feral animal or any animal under the care, custody, or ownership of a person or any animal that is bought, sold, traded, or bartered by any person. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Controlling person: means a natural person who is an officer, director, or partner, or who occupies a similar status or performs a similar function, of a franchisor organized as a corporation, partnership, or other entity, or any person who possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a franchisor, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise. See Virginia Code 13.1-559
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Courts of record: means the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Court of Appeals of Virginia, and the circuit courts. See Virginia Code 1-212
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Dealer: means any person who in the regular course of business for compensation or profit buys, sells, transfers, exchanges, or barters companion animals. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
  • Direct and immediate threat: means any clear and imminent danger to an animal's health, safety or life. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
  • Eligible employee stock ownership plan: means an employee stock ownership plan as such term is defined in § 4975(e)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, sponsored by a professional corporation and with respect to which:

    1. See Virginia Code 13.1-543

  • Enclosure: means a structure used to house or restrict animals from running at large. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
  • Euthanasia: means the humane destruction of an animal accomplished by a method that involves instantaneous unconsciousness and immediate death or by a method that involves anesthesia, produced by an agent that causes painless loss of consciousness, and death during such loss of consciousness. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • exercise: means the opportunity for the animal to move sufficiently to maintain normal muscle tone and mass for the age, species, size, and condition of the animal. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Facility: means a building or portion thereof as designated by the State Veterinarian, other than a private residential dwelling and its surrounding grounds, that is used to contain a primary enclosure or enclosures in which animals are housed or kept. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is a set of United States statutes added as Title VIII of the Consumer Credit Protection Act. Its purpose is to ensure ethical practices in the collection of consumer debts and to provide consumers with an avenue for disputing and obtaining validation of debt information in order to ensure the information's accuracy. It is often used in conjunction with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Source: OCC
  • Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
  • Foster care provider: means a person who provides care or rehabilitation for companion animals through an affiliation with a public or private animal shelter, home-based rescue, releasing agency, or other animal welfare organization. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Foster home: means a private residential dwelling and its surrounding grounds, or any facility other than a public or private animal shelter, at which site through an affiliation with a public or private animal shelter, home-based rescue, releasing agency, or other animal welfare organization care or rehabilitation is provided for companion animals. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Franchise: means a written contract or agreement between two or more persons, by which:

    1. See Virginia Code 13.1-559

  • Franchisee: means a person to whom a franchise is granted or sold. See Virginia Code 13.1-559
  • Franchisor: means a person, including a subfranchisor, who grants or sells, or offers to grant or sell, a franchise. See Virginia Code 13.1-559
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • 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.
  • Humane: means any action taken in consideration of and with the intent to provide for the animal's health and well-being. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Humane society: means any incorporated, nonprofit organization that is organized for the purposes of preventing cruelty to animals and promoting humane care and treatment or adoptions of animals. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Includes: means includes, but not limited to. See Virginia Code 1-218
  • Incorporated: means organized and maintained as a legal entity in the Commonwealth. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
  • Interest: means all charges payable directly or indirectly by a borrower to a licensee as a condition to a loan, including fees, service charges, and renewal charges, and any ancillary product sold in connection with a loan, but does not include the monthly maintenance fees, deposit item return fees, late charges, or reasonable costs of repossession and sale authorized under § 6. See Virginia Code 6.2-2200
  • Interest rate: The amount paid by a borrower to a lender in exchange for the use of the lender's money for a certain period of time. Interest is paid on loans or on debt instruments, such as notes or bonds, either at regular intervals or as part of a lump sum payment when the issue matures. Source: OCC
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Kennel: means any establishment in which five or more canines, felines, or hybrids of either are kept for the purpose of breeding, hunting, training, renting, buying, boarding, selling, or showing. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Law-enforcement officer: means any person who is a full-time or part-time employee of a police department or sheriff's office that is part of or administered by the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof and who is responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and the enforcement of the penal, traffic or highway laws of the Commonwealth. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
  • Licensee: means a person to whom a license has been issued under this chapter. See Virginia Code 6.2-2200
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • 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 3.2-6500
  • loan agreement: means a written document that sets out the terms and conditions under which a licensee agrees to make a motor vehicle title loan to a borrower, and the borrower agrees to give to the licensee a security interest in a motor vehicle owned by the borrower to secure repayment of the motor vehicle title loan and performance of the other obligations under the loan agreement. See Virginia Code 6.2-2200
  • Loan amount: means the principal amount of a loan exclusive of fees or charges. See Virginia Code 6.2-2200
  • Locality: means a county, city, or town as the context may require. See Virginia Code 1-221
  • Month: means a calendar month and "year" means a calendar year. See Virginia Code 1-223
  • Motor vehicle: means an automobile, motorcycle, mobile home, truck, van, or other vehicle operated on public highways and streets. See Virginia Code 6.2-2200
  • New owner: means an individual who is legally competent to enter into a binding agreement pursuant to subdivision B 2 of § 3. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • offer to sell: includes every attempt to offer to dispose of or grant, and every solicitation of an offer to buy, a franchise or an interest in a franchise for value. See Virginia Code 13.1-559
  • Ordinance: means any law, rule, regulation, or ordinance adopted by the governing body of any locality. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Owner: means any person who: (i) has a right of property in an animal; (ii) keeps or harbors an animal; (iii) has an animal in his care; or (iv) acts as a custodian of an animal. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Person: means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, or other legal or commercial entity. See Virginia Code 6.2-2200
  • Person: means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or other legal or commercial entity. See Virginia Code 6.2-100
  • Personal property: All property that is not real property.
  • Pet shop: means a retail establishment where companion animals are bought, sold, exchanged, or offered for sale or exchange to the general public. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Place of business: means a building or portion thereof from which the goods or services authorized by the franchise are sold or offered for sale in person by the franchisee or employees or agents of the franchisee, or a truck or van used in the sale of such goods which is of a type designated by the franchisor and is equipped and marked in conformance with requirements of the franchisor. See Virginia Code 13.1-559
  • Poultry: includes all domestic fowl and game birds raised in captivity. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC
  • Preopening obligations: means the franchisor's obligations to provide to the franchisee, prior to the opening of the franchisee's business, real estate, improvements, equipment, inventory, training, or other items to be included in the offering. See Virginia Code 13.1-559
  • Principal: means any person who, directly or indirectly, owns or controls (i) 10 percent or more of the outstanding stock of a stock corporation or (ii) a 10 percent or greater interest in any other type of entity. See Virginia Code 6.2-2200
  • Private animal shelter: means a facility operated for the purpose of finding permanent adoptive homes for animals that is used to house or contain animals and that is owned or operated by an incorporated, nonprofit, and nongovernmental entity, including a humane society, animal welfare organization, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or any other similar organization. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Process: includes subpoenas, the summons and complaint in a civil action, and process in statutory actions. See Virginia Code 1-237
  • Professional business entity: means any entity as defined in § 13. See Virginia Code 13.1-543
  • Professional corporation: means a corporation whose articles of incorporation set forth a sole and specific purpose permitted by this chapter and that is either (i) organized under this chapter for the sole and specific purpose of rendering professional service other than that of architects, professional engineers, land surveyors, or landscape architects, or using a title other than that of certified interior designers and, except as expressly otherwise permitted by this chapter, that has as its shareholders or members only individuals or professional business entities that are duly licensed or otherwise legally authorized to render the same professional service as the corporation, including the trustees of an eligible employee stock ownership plan or (ii) organized under this chapter for the sole and specific purpose of rendering the professional services of architects, professional engineers, land surveyors, or landscape architects, or using the title of certified interior designers, or any combination thereof, and at least two-thirds of whose shares are held by persons duly licensed within the Commonwealth to perform the services of an architect, professional engineer, land surveyor, or landscape architect, including the trustees of an eligible employee stock ownership plan, or by persons legally authorized within the Commonwealth to use the title of certified interior designer; or (iii) organized under this chapter or under Chapter 10 of Title 54. See Virginia Code 13.1-543
  • Professional service: means any type of personal service to the public that requires as a condition precedent to the rendering of such service or use of such title the obtaining of a license, certification, or other legal authorization and shall be limited to the personal services rendered by pharmacists, optometrists, physical therapists and physical therapist assistants, practitioners of the healing arts, advanced practice registered nurses, practitioners of the behavioral science professions, veterinarians, surgeons, dentists, architects, professional engineers, land surveyors, landscape architects, certified interior designers, public accountants, certified public accountants, attorneys-at-law, insurance consultants, and audiologists or speech pathologists. See Virginia Code 13.1-543
  • provider: means a person that extends a specific offer of sales-based financing to a recipient. See Virginia Code 6.2-2228
  • Public animal shelter: means a facility operated by the Commonwealth, or any locality, for the purpose of impounding or sheltering seized, stray, homeless, abandoned, unwanted, or surrendered animals or a facility operated for the same purpose under a contract with any locality. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • real estate: includes lands, tenements and hereditaments, and all rights and appurtenances thereto and interests therein, other than a chattel interest. See Virginia Code 1-219
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  • Recipient: means a person whose principal place of business is in the Commonwealth and that applies for sales-based financing and is made a specific offer of sales-based financing by a provider. See Virginia Code 6.2-2228
  • Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. Source: FDIC
  • Releasing agency: means (i) a public animal shelter or (ii) a private animal shelter, humane society, animal welfare organization, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or other similar entity or home-based rescue that releases companion animals for adoption. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
  • Sales-based financing: means a transaction that is repaid by the recipient to the provider, over time, as a percentage of sales or revenue, in which the payment amount may increase or decrease according to the volume of sales made or revenue received by the recipient. See Virginia Code 6.2-2228
  • sell: includes every contract or agreement of sale or grant of, contract to sell, or disposition of a franchise or interest in a franchise for value. See Virginia Code 13.1-559
  • Specific offer: means the specific terms of sales-based financing, including price or amount, that are quoted to a recipient, based on information obtained from or about the recipient, which, if accepted by a recipient, shall be binding on the provider, as applicable, subject to any specific requirements stated in such terms. See Virginia Code 6.2-2228
  • State Veterinarian: means the veterinarian employed by the Commissioner as provided in § 3. See Virginia Code 3.2-5900
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • sterilization: means a surgical or chemical procedure performed by a licensed veterinarian that renders a dog or cat permanently incapable of reproducing. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Subfranchisor: means a person who is authorized by a franchisor to grant a franchise within a particular geographic region. See Virginia Code 13.1-559
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • title loan: means a loan secured by a non-purchase money security interest in a motor vehicle. See Virginia Code 6.2-2200
  • Town: means any existing town or an incorporated community within one or more counties which became a town before noon, July 1, 1971, as provided by law or which has within defined boundaries a population of 1,000 or more and which has become a town as provided by law. See Virginia Code 1-254
  • Treasurer: includes the treasurer and his assistants of each county or city or other officer designated by law to collect taxes in such county or city. See Virginia Code 3.2-6500
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
  • Truth in Lending Act: The Truth in Lending Act is a federal law that requires lenders to provide standardized information so that borrowers can compare loan terms. In general, lenders must provide information on Source: OCC
  • United States: includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-255
  • Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.