{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/3.2-6509.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/3.2-6509.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/3.2-6509.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/3.2-6509.1.html"}],"law_id":71599,"edition_id":1,"section_id":71599,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6509.1","catch_line":"Disclosure of animal bite history; penalties","history":"2018, c. 678.","full_text":"A\n\nAny custodian of a releasing agency, animal control officer, law-enforcement officer, or humane investigator, upon taking custody of any dog or cat in the course of his official duties, shall ask and document whether, if known, the dog or cat has bitten a person or other animal and the circumstances and date of such bite. Any custodian of a releasing agency, animal control officer, law-enforcement officer, or humane investigator, upon release of a dog or cat for (i) adoption, (ii) return to a rightful owner, or (iii) transfer to another agency, shall disclose, if known, that the dog or cat has bitten a person or other animal and the circumstances and date of such bite.B\n\nViolation of this section is a Class 3 misdemeanor.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":258056,"text":"Any custodian of a releasing agency, animal control officer, law-enforcement officer, or humane investigator, upon taking custody of any dog or cat in the course of his official duties, shall ask and document whether, if known, the dog or cat has bitten a person or other animal and the circumstances and date of such bite. Any custodian of a releasing agency, animal control officer, law-enforcement officer, or humane investigator, upon release of a dog or cat for (i) adoption, (ii) return to a rightful owner, or (iii) transfer to another agency, shall disclose, if known, that the dog or cat has bitten a person or other animal and the circumstances and date of such bite.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":258057,"text":"Violation of this section is a Class 3 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13341,"edition_id":1,"name":"Transportation and Sale of Animals","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13170,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:40","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:40","permalink":{"id":198661,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13341,"identifier":"3","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3","url":"\/3.2\/V\/65\/3\/","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":54865,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6508","catch_line":"Transporting animals; requirements; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6508\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6508","metadata":false},{"id":73161,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6508.1","catch_line":"Sale of dogs or cats prohibited in certain places","url":"\/3.2-6508.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6508.1","metadata":false},{"id":55461,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6509","catch_line":"Misrepresentation of animal's condition; penalties","url":"\/3.2-6509\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6509","metadata":false},{"id":71599,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6509.1","catch_line":"Disclosure of animal bite history; penalties","url":"\/3.2-6509.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6509.1","metadata":false},{"id":86958,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6510","catch_line":"Sale of unweaned or certain immature animals prohibited, vaccinations required for dogs and cats; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6510\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6510","metadata":false},{"id":69013,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6511","catch_line":"Failure of dealer or pet shop to provide adequate care; penalty; report","url":"\/3.2-6511\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6511","metadata":false},{"id":84119,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6511.1","catch_line":"Pet shops; procurement of dogs; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6511.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6511.1","metadata":false},{"id":72939,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6511.2","catch_line":"Dealers; importation and sale of dogs and cats; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6511.2\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6511.2","metadata":false},{"id":72085,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6512","catch_line":"Sale without pet dealer's animal history certificate violation of Consumer Protection Act; contents of certificate","url":"\/3.2-6512\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6512","metadata":false},{"id":75230,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6513","catch_line":"Inclusion of false or misleading statements in certificate violation of Consumer Protection Act","url":"\/3.2-6513\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6513","metadata":false},{"id":60330,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6513.1","catch_line":"Pet shops; posting of information about dogs","url":"\/3.2-6513.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6513.1","metadata":false},{"id":74582,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6513.2","catch_line":"Rental or lease of dog or cat prohibited; requirements for financing a dog or cat; civil penalty","url":"\/3.2-6513.2\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6513.2","metadata":false},{"id":80528,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6514","catch_line":"Consumer remedies for receipt of diseased animal upon certification by veterinarian","url":"\/3.2-6514\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6514","metadata":false},{"id":54323,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6515","catch_line":"Written notice of consumer remedies required to be supplied by pet dealers","url":"\/3.2-6515\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6515","metadata":false},{"id":77364,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6516","catch_line":"Failure of pet dealer to effect registration after promise; violation of Consumer Protection Act; remedies; veterinary certification; finding of intestinal parasites; illness subsequent to sale","url":"\/3.2-6516\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6516","metadata":false},{"id":84726,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6517","catch_line":"Remedies cumulative","url":"\/3.2-6517\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6517","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":55461,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6509","catch_line":"Misrepresentation of animal's condition; penalties","url":"\/3.2-6509\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6509","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":86958,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6510","catch_line":"Sale of unweaned or certain immature animals prohibited, vaccinations required for dogs and cats; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6510\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6510","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-6509.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2018. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 678<\/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":198675,"object_type":"law","relational_id":71599,"identifier":"3.2-6509.1","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6509.1","url":"\/3.2-6509.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-6509.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6509.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Disclosure of animal bite history; penalties","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-6509.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Any custodian of a releasing agency<\/span>, animal control officer<\/span>, law<\/span>-enforcement officer<\/span>, or humane investigator<\/span>, upon taking custody<\/span> of any dog or cat in the course of his official duties, shall ask and document whether, if known, the dog or cat has bitten a person or other animal and the circumstances and date of such bite. Any custodian of a releasing agency<\/span>, animal control officer<\/span>, law<\/span>-enforcement officer<\/span>, or humane investigator<\/span>, upon release of a dog or cat for (i) adoption<\/span>, (ii) return to a rightful owner<\/span>, or (iii) transfer to another agency, shall disclose, if known, that the dog or cat has bitten a person or other animal and the circumstances and date of such bite. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Violation of this section is a Class 3 misdemeanor<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDISCLOSURE OF ANIMAL BITE HISTORY; PENALTIES (\u00a7 3.2-6509.1)\n\nA. Any custodian of a releasing agency, animal control officer, law-enforcement\nofficer, or humane investigator, upon taking custody of any dog or cat in the\ncourse of his official duties, shall ask and document whether, if known, the dog\nor cat has bitten a person or other animal and the circumstances and date of\nsuch bite. Any custodian of a releasing agency, animal control officer,\nlaw-enforcement officer, or humane investigator, upon release of a dog or cat\nfor (i) adoption, (ii) return to a rightful owner, or (iii) transfer to another\nagency, shall disclose, if known, that the dog or cat has bitten a person or\nother animal and the circumstances and date of such bite.\n\nB. Violation of this section is a Class 3 misdemeanor.\n\nHISTORY: 2018, c. 678.","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}}