{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/3.2-6503.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/3.2-6503.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/3.2-6503.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/3.2-6503.1.html"}],"law_id":62202,"edition_id":1,"section_id":62202,"structure_id":13261,"section_number":"3.2-6503.1","catch_line":"Care of agricultural animals by owner; penalty","history":"2011, cc. 754, 886.","full_text":"A\n\nEach owner shall provide for each of his agricultural animals:1\n\nFeed to prevent malnourishment;2\n\nWater to prevent dehydration; and3\n\nVeterinary treatment as needed to address impairment of health or bodily function when such impairment cannot be otherwise addressed through animal husbandry, including humane destruction.B\n\nThe provisions of this section shall not require an owner to provide feed or water when such is customarily withheld, restricted, or apportioned pursuant to a farming activity or if otherwise prescribed by a veterinarian.C\n\nThere shall be a rebuttable presumption that there has been no violation of this section if an owner is unable to provide feed, water, or veterinary treatment due to an act of God.D\n\nThe provisions of this section shall not apply to agricultural animals used for bona fide medical or scientific experimentation.E\n\nA violation of this section is a Class 4 misdemeanor.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":226851,"text":"Each owner shall provide for each of his agricultural animals:","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"A1"},"1":{"id":226852,"text":"Feed to prevent malnourishment;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"A1","prefix_anchor":"A1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"A2"},"2":{"id":226853,"text":"Water to prevent dehydration; and","type":"section","prefixes":["A","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"A2","prefix_anchor":"A2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A1","next_prefix":"A3"},"3":{"id":226854,"text":"Veterinary treatment as needed to address impairment of health or bodily function when such impairment cannot be otherwise addressed through animal husbandry, including humane destruction.","type":"section","prefixes":["A","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"A3","prefix_anchor":"A3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A2","next_prefix":"B"},"4":{"id":226855,"text":"The provisions of this section shall not require an owner to provide feed or water when such is customarily withheld, restricted, or apportioned pursuant to a farming activity or if otherwise prescribed by a veterinarian.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A3","next_prefix":"C"},"5":{"id":226856,"text":"There shall be a rebuttable presumption that there has been no violation of this section if an owner is unable to provide feed, water, or veterinary treatment due to an act of God.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"6":{"id":226857,"text":"The provisions of this section shall not apply to agricultural animals used for bona fide medical or scientific experimentation.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"7":{"id":226858,"text":"A violation of this section is a Class 4 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13261,"edition_id":1,"name":"Animal Welfare","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13170,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:32","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:32","permalink":{"id":198605,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13261,"identifier":"2","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/2","url":"\/3.2\/V\/65\/2\/","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":66904,"structure_id":13261,"section_number":"3.2-6503","catch_line":"Care of companion animals by owner; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6503\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/2\/3.2-6503","metadata":false},{"id":62202,"structure_id":13261,"section_number":"3.2-6503.1","catch_line":"Care of agricultural animals by owner; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6503.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/2\/3.2-6503.1","metadata":false},{"id":57920,"structure_id":13261,"section_number":"3.2-6504","catch_line":"Abandonment of animal; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6504\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/2\/3.2-6504","metadata":false},{"id":64111,"structure_id":13261,"section_number":"3.2-6504.1","catch_line":"Civil immunity; forcible entry of motor vehicle to remove unattended companion animal","url":"\/3.2-6504.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/2\/3.2-6504.1","metadata":false},{"id":73731,"structure_id":13261,"section_number":"3.2-6505","catch_line":"Disposal of animals by means of decompression chamber and use of gas chamber for companion animals prohibited","url":"\/3.2-6505\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/2\/3.2-6505","metadata":false},{"id":66794,"structure_id":13261,"section_number":"3.2-6506","catch_line":"Exceptions regarding veterinarians","url":"\/3.2-6506\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/2\/3.2-6506","metadata":false},{"id":54260,"structure_id":13261,"section_number":"3.2-6507","catch_line":"Injured or sick animal; action by veterinarian","url":"\/3.2-6507\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/2\/3.2-6507","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":66904,"structure_id":13261,"section_number":"3.2-6503","catch_line":"Care of companion animals by owner; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6503\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/2\/3.2-6503","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":57920,"structure_id":13261,"section_number":"3.2-6504","catch_line":"Abandonment of animal; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6504\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/2\/3.2-6504","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-6503.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2011. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 754<\/a> and 886<\/a> 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.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":198611,"object_type":"law","relational_id":62202,"identifier":"3.2-6503.1","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/2\/3.2-6503.1","url":"\/3.2-6503.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-6503.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/2\/3.2-6503.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Care of agricultural animals by owner; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-6503.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Each owner<\/span> shall provide for each of his agricultural animals<\/span>: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Feed to prevent malnourishment; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Water to prevent dehydration; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Veterinary treatment<\/span> as needed to address impairment of health or bodily function when such impairment cannot be otherwise addressed through animal<\/span> husbandry, including humane<\/span> destruction. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The provisions of this section shall not require an owner<\/span> to provide feed or water when such is customarily withheld, restricted, or apportioned pursuant to a farming activity or if otherwise prescribed by a veterinarian. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> There shall be a rebuttable presumption<\/span> that there has been no violation of this section if an owner<\/span> is unable to provide feed, water, or veterinary treatment<\/span> due to an act of God. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> The provisions of this section shall not apply to agricultural animals<\/span> used for bona fide medical or scientific experimentation. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> A violation of this section is a Class 4 misdemeanor<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCARE OF AGRICULTURAL ANIMALS BY OWNER; PENALTY (\u00a7 3.2-6503.1)\n\nA. Each owner shall provide for each of his agricultural animals:\n\n 1. Feed to prevent malnourishment;\n\n 2. Water to prevent dehydration; and\n\n 3. Veterinary treatment as needed to address impairment of health or bodily\n function when such impairment cannot be otherwise addressed through animal\n husbandry, including humane destruction.\n\nB. The provisions of this section shall not require an owner to provide feed or\nwater when such is customarily withheld, restricted, or apportioned pursuant to\na farming activity or if otherwise prescribed by a veterinarian.\n\nC. There shall be a rebuttable presumption that there has been no violation of\nthis section if an owner is unable to provide feed, water, or veterinary\ntreatment due to an act of God.\n\nD. The provisions of this section shall not apply to agricultural animals used\nfor bona fide medical or scientific experimentation.\n\nE. A violation of this section is a Class 4 misdemeanor.\n\nHISTORY: 2011, cc. 754, 886.","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}}