{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-144.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-144.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-144.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-144.html"}],"law_id":78164,"edition_id":1,"section_id":78164,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-144","catch_line":"Maiming, killing or poisoning animals, fowl, etc","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-159; 1960, c. 358; 1964, c. 400; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1977, c. 598; 1978, c. 559; 1999, c. 620.","full_text":"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.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":280194,"text":"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.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15189,"edition_id":1,"name":"Damage to and Tampering With Property","identifier":"7","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13243,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:52:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:52:50","permalink":{"id":165689,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15189,"identifier":"7","token":"18.2\/5\/7","url":"\/18.2\/5\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13243,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Against Property","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","permalink":{"id":165299,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13243,"identifier":"5","token":"18.2\/5","url":"\/18.2\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12972,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":164139,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12972,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":78164,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-144","catch_line":"Maiming, killing or poisoning animals, fowl, etc","url":"\/18.2-144\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-144","metadata":false},{"id":60313,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-144.1","catch_line":"Prohibition against killing or injuring police animals; penalty","url":"\/18.2-144.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-144.1","metadata":false},{"id":72037,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-144.2","catch_line":"Prohibition against making a false representation of ownership of an animal to a public or private animal shelter; penalty","url":"\/18.2-144.2\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-144.2","metadata":false},{"id":77132,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-145","catch_line":"Protection of homing pigeons","url":"\/18.2-145\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-145","metadata":false},{"id":75547,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-145.1","catch_line":"Damaging or destroying research farm product; penalty; restitution","url":"\/18.2-145.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-145.1","metadata":false},{"id":86932,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-146","catch_line":"Breaking, injuring, defacing, destroying, or preventing the operation of vehicle, aircraft, boat, or vessel; penalties","url":"\/18.2-146\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-146","metadata":false},{"id":63489,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-146.1","catch_line":"Unlawful purchase or sale of a catalytic converter from a motor vehicle exhaust system that has been detached from a motor vehicle; penalty","url":"\/18.2-146.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-146.1","metadata":false},{"id":72149,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-146.2","catch_line":"Interference with commercial fishing vessels or activity; penalty","url":"\/18.2-146.2\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-146.2","metadata":false},{"id":85279,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-147","catch_line":"Entering or setting in motion, vehicle, aircraft, boat, locomotive or rolling stock of railroad; exceptions","url":"\/18.2-147\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-147","metadata":false},{"id":63279,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-147.1","catch_line":"Breaking and entering into railroad cars, motortrucks, aircraft, etc., or pipeline systems","url":"\/18.2-147.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-147.1","metadata":false},{"id":59751,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-147.2","catch_line":"Devices for puncturing motor vehicle tires","url":"\/18.2-147.2\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-147.2","metadata":false},{"id":57844,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-148","catch_line":"Bona fide repossession under lien","url":"\/18.2-148\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-148","metadata":false},{"id":72256,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-149","catch_line":"Injury to hired animal, aircraft, vehicle or boat","url":"\/18.2-149\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-149","metadata":false},{"id":60012,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-150","catch_line":"Willfully destroying vessel, etc","url":"\/18.2-150\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-150","metadata":false},{"id":80083,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-151","catch_line":"Opening or carrying away pumps, etc., used for dispensing gasoline, etc","url":"\/18.2-151\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-151","metadata":false},{"id":63718,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-151.1","catch_line":"Injuring, destroying, removing, or tampering with firefighting equipment; penalty","url":"\/18.2-151.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-151.1","metadata":false},{"id":66527,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-152","catch_line":"Stealing from or tampering with parking meter, vending machine, pay telephone, etc","url":"\/18.2-152\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-152","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":60313,"structure_id":15189,"section_number":"18.2-144.1","catch_line":"Prohibition against killing or injuring police animals; penalty","url":"\/18.2-144.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-144.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-144\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 6 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s 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<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":55101,"section_number":"19.2-303.2","catch_line":"Persons charged with first offense may be placed on probation","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-303.2\/"},{"id":74660,"section_number":"19.2-392.12","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Sealing of offenses resulting in a deferred and dismissed disposition or conviction by petition","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-392.12\/"},{"id":74705,"section_number":"3.2-6573.1","catch_line":"Local animal cruelty registries","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6573.1\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":165691,"object_type":"law","relational_id":78164,"identifier":"18.2-144","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-144","url":"\/18.2-144\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-144\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7\/18.2-144","dublin_core":{"Title":"Maiming, killing or poisoning animals, fowl, etc","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-144","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Except as otherwise provided for by law<\/span>, if any person maliciously shoot, stab, wound or otherwise cause bodily injury to, or administer poison to or expose poison with intent<\/span> that it be taken by, any horse, mule, pony, cattle, swine or other livestock of another, with intent<\/span> 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<\/span> to defraud any insurer thereof, he shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony<\/span>. If any person do any of the foregoing acts to any fowl or to any companion animal with any of the aforesaid intents<\/span>, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span>, except that any second or subsequent offense<\/span> shall be a Class 6 felony<\/span> if the current offense<\/span> or any previous offense<\/span> 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.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nMAIMING, KILLING OR POISONING ANIMALS, FOWL, ETC (\u00a7 18.2-144)\n\nExcept as otherwise provided for by law, if any person maliciously shoot, stab,\nwound or otherwise cause bodily injury to, or administer poison to or expose\npoison with intent that it be taken by, any horse, mule, pony, cattle, swine or\nother livestock of another, with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or kill the\nsame, or if he do any of the foregoing acts to any animal of his own with intent\nto defraud any insurer thereof, he shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony. If any\nperson do any of the foregoing acts to any fowl or to any companion animal with\nany of the aforesaid intents, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor,\nexcept that any second or subsequent offense shall be a Class 6 felony if the\ncurrent offense or any previous offense resulted in the death of an animal or\nthe euthanasia of an animal based on the recommendation of a licensed\nveterinarian upon determination that such euthanasia was necessary due to the\ncondition of the animal, and such condition was a direct result of a violation\nof this section.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-159; 1960, c. 358; 1964, c. 400; 1975, cc. 14, 15;\n1977, c. 598; 1978, c. 559; 1999, c. 620.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}