{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/3.2-6504.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/3.2-6504.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/3.2-6504.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/3.2-6504.html"}],"law_id":57920,"edition_id":1,"section_id":57920,"structure_id":13261,"section_number":"3.2-6504","catch_line":"Abandonment of animal; penalty","history":"1984, c. 492, \u00a7 29-213.43; 1987, c. 488, \u00a7 3.1-796.73; 1993, c. 174; 2002, cc. 351, 787; 2003, c. 1007; 2008, c. 860; 2014, c. 148; 2018, c. 416.","full_text":"No person shall abandon or dump any animal. Violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the release of an animal by its owner to a public or private animal shelter or other releasing agency.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":212146,"text":"No person shall abandon or dump any animal. Violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the release of an animal by its owner to a public or private animal shelter or other releasing agency.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"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":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},"next_section":{"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},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-6504\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1984. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 492 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 1984 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 7 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 1987, chapter 488; in 1993, chapter 174; in 2002, chapters 351<\/a> and 787<\/a>; in 2003, chapter 1007<\/a>; in 2008, chapter 860<\/a>; in 2014, chapter 148<\/a>; in 2018, chapter 416<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":64312,"section_number":"18.2-403.1","catch_line":"Offenses involving animals \u2014 Class 1 misdemeanors","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-403.1\/"},{"id":66794,"section_number":"3.2-6506","catch_line":"Exceptions regarding veterinarians","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6506\/"},{"id":55376,"section_number":"3.2-6569","catch_line":"Seizure and impoundment of animals; notice and hearing; disposition of animal; disposition of proceeds upon sale","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6569\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":198615,"object_type":"law","relational_id":57920,"identifier":"3.2-6504","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/2\/3.2-6504","url":"\/3.2-6504\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-6504\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/2\/3.2-6504","dublin_core":{"Title":"Abandonment of animal; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-6504","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

No person shall abandon<\/span> or dump<\/span> any animal. Violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span>. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the release of an animal by its owner<\/span> to a public or private animal shelter<\/span> or other releasing agency<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nABANDONMENT OF ANIMAL; PENALTY (\u00a7 3.2-6504)\n\nNo person shall abandon or dump any animal. Violation of this section is a Class\n1 misdemeanor. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the\nrelease of an animal by its owner to a public or private animal shelter or other\nreleasing agency.\n\nHISTORY: 1984, c. 492, \u00a7 29-213.43; 1987, c. 488, \u00a7 3.1-796.73; 1993, c. 174;\n2002, cc. 351, 787; 2003, c. 1007; 2008, c. 860; 2014, c. 148; 2018, c. 416.","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}}