{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/3.2-6502.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/3.2-6502.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/3.2-6502.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/3.2-6502.html"}],"law_id":56906,"edition_id":1,"section_id":56906,"structure_id":14907,"section_number":"3.2-6502","catch_line":"State Veterinarian’s power to inspect premises where animals are kept; investigations and search warrants","history":"1993, c. 601, \u00a7 3.1-796.67:2; 1998, c. 817; 2002, c. 787; 2003, c. 1007; 2008, c. 860; 2014, c. 148.","full_text":"A\n\nThe State Veterinarian and each State Veterinarian’s representative shall have the power to conduct inspections of public and private animal shelters, and inspect any business premises where animals are housed or kept, including any boarding establishment, kennel, pet shop, or the business premises of any dealer, exhibitor or groomer, at any reasonable time, for the purposes of determining if a violation of: (i) this chapter; (ii) any other state law governing the care, control or protection of animals; or (iii) any other state law governing property rights in animals has occurred.B\n\nProvisions for investigation of suspected violations of this chapter and other laws pertaining to animals are provided in § 3.2-6564. Provisions for obtaining a warrant and the power of search for violations of animal cruelty laws are provided in § 3.2-6568.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":208435,"text":"The State Veterinarian and each State Veterinarian’s representative shall have the power to conduct inspections of public and private animal shelters, and inspect any business premises where animals are housed or kept, including any boarding establishment, kennel, pet shop, or the business premises of any dealer, exhibitor or groomer, at any reasonable time, for the purposes of determining if a violation of: (i) this chapter; (ii) any other state law governing the care, control or protection of animals; or (iii) any other state law governing property rights in animals has occurred.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":208436,"text":"Provisions for investigation of suspected violations of this chapter and other laws pertaining to animals are provided in § 3.2-6564. Provisions for obtaining a warrant and the power of search for violations of animal cruelty laws are provided in § 3.2-6568.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14907,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13170,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:50:43","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:50:43","permalink":{"id":198461,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14907,"identifier":"1","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/1","url":"\/3.2\/V\/65\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13170,"edition_id":1,"name":"Comprehensive Animal Care","identifier":"65","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13169,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:23","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:23","permalink":{"id":198459,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13170,"identifier":"65","token":"3.2\/V\/65","url":"\/3.2\/V\/65\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13169,"edition_id":1,"name":"Domestic Animals","identifier":"V","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12793,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:23","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:23","permalink":{"id":198133,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13169,"identifier":"V","token":"3.2\/V","url":"\/3.2\/V\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12793,"edition_id":1,"name":"Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food","identifier":"3.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":193939,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12793,"identifier":"3.2","token":"3.2","url":"\/3.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":86401,"structure_id":14907,"section_number":"3.2-6500","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/3.2-6500\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/1\/3.2-6500","metadata":false},{"id":59205,"structure_id":14907,"section_number":"3.2-6501","catch_line":"Regulations and guidelines","url":"\/3.2-6501\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/1\/3.2-6501","metadata":false},{"id":86765,"structure_id":14907,"section_number":"3.2-6501.1","catch_line":"Regulations for the keeping of certain animals","url":"\/3.2-6501.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/1\/3.2-6501.1","metadata":false},{"id":56906,"structure_id":14907,"section_number":"3.2-6502","catch_line":"State Veterinarian's power to inspect premises where animals are kept; investigations and search warrants","url":"\/3.2-6502\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/1\/3.2-6502","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":86765,"structure_id":14907,"section_number":"3.2-6501.1","catch_line":"Regulations for the keeping of certain animals","url":"\/3.2-6501.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/1\/3.2-6501.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-6502\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1993. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 601 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1993 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 5 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 1998, chapter 817<\/a>; in 2002, chapter 787<\/a>; in 2003, chapter 1007<\/a>; in 2008, chapter 860<\/a>; in 2014, chapter 148<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":68045,"section_number":"18.2-361.01","catch_line":"Sexual abuse of animals; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-361.01\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":62173,"section_number":"3.2-6564","catch_line":"Complaint of suspected violation; investigation","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6564\/"},{"id":76161,"section_number":"3.2-6568","catch_line":"Power of search for violations of statutes against cruelty to animals","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6568\/"}],"permalink":{"id":198475,"object_type":"law","relational_id":56906,"identifier":"3.2-6502","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/1\/3.2-6502","url":"\/3.2-6502\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-6502\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/1\/3.2-6502","dublin_core":{"Title":"State Veterinarian’s power to inspect premises where animals are kept; investigations and search warrants","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-6502","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The State Veterinarian<\/span> and each State Veterinarian<\/span>’s representative shall have the power to conduct inspections of public and private animal shelters<\/span>, and inspect any business premises where animals<\/span> are housed or kept, including any boarding establishment<\/span>, kennel<\/span>, pet shop<\/span>, or the business premises of any dealer<\/span>, exhibitor<\/span> or groomer<\/span>, at any reasonable time, for the purposes of determining if a violation of: (i) this chapter; (ii) any other state law<\/span> governing the care<\/span>, control or protection of animals<\/span>; or (iii) any other state law<\/span> governing property rights in animals<\/span> has occurred. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Provisions for investigation of suspected violations of this chapter and other laws<\/span> pertaining to animals<\/span> are provided in § 3.2-6564<\/a>. Provisions for obtaining a warrant and the power of search for violations of animal cruelty laws<\/span> are provided in § 3.2-6568<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSTATE VETERINARIAN’S POWER TO INSPECT PREMISES WHERE ANIMALS ARE KEPT;\nINVESTIGATIONS AND SEARCH WARRANTS (\u00a7 3.2-6502)\n\nA. The State Veterinarian and each State Veterinarian’s representative\nshall have the power to conduct inspections of public and private animal\nshelters, and inspect any business premises where animals are housed or kept,\nincluding any boarding establishment, kennel, pet shop, or the business premises\nof any dealer, exhibitor or groomer, at any reasonable time, for the purposes of\ndetermining if a violation of: (i) this chapter; (ii) any other state law\ngoverning the care, control or protection of animals; or (iii) any other state\nlaw governing property rights in animals has occurred.\n\nB. Provisions for investigation of suspected violations of this chapter and\nother laws pertaining to animals are provided in § 3.2-6564. Provisions for\nobtaining a warrant and the power of search for violations of animal cruelty\nlaws are provided in § 3.2-6568.\n\nHISTORY: 1993, c. 601, \u00a7 3.1-796.67:2; 1998, c. 817; 2002, c. 787; 2003, c.\n1007; 2008, c. 860; 2014, c. 148.","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}}