§ 18.2-144 Maiming, killing or poisoning animals, fowl, etc
Except as otherwise provided for by law, if any person maliciously shoot, stab, wound or otherwise cause bodily injury to, or administer poison to or expose poison with intent that it be taken by, any horse, mule, pony, cattle, swine or other livestock of another, with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or kill the same, or if he do any of the foregoing acts to any animal of his own with intent to defraud any insurer thereof, he shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony. If any person do any of the foregoing acts to any fowl or to any companion animal with any of the aforesaid intents, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, except that any second or subsequent offense shall be a Class 6 felony if the current offense or any previous offense resulted in the death of an animal or the euthanasia of an animal based on the recommendation of a licensed veterinarian upon determination that such euthanasia was necessary due to the condition of the animal, and such condition was a direct result of a violation of this section.
History
The record of this law’s original creation isn’t available online. It has been modified 6 times. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 358; in 1964, chapter 400; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15; in 1977, chapter 598; in 1978, chapter 559; in 1999, chapter 620.
Code 1950, § 18.1-159; 1960, c. 358; 1964, c. 400; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1977, c. 598; 1978, c. 559; 1999, c. 620.