{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/3.2-6515.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/3.2-6515.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/3.2-6515.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/3.2-6515.html"}],"law_id":54323,"edition_id":1,"section_id":54323,"structure_id":13341,"section_number":"3.2-6515","catch_line":"Written notice of consumer remedies required to be supplied by pet dealers","history":"1984, c. 492, \u00a7 29-213.51; 1987, c. 488, \u00a7 3.1-796.81; 2008, c. 860; 2014, c. 448; 2020, c. 412.","full_text":"A\n\nA pet dealer shall give the notice hereinafter set forth in writing to a consumer prior to the delivery of a dog or cat. Such notice shall be embodied in a written contract, the pet dealer’s animal history certificate, or a separate document and shall state in ten-point boldface type the following:\n\t\t\t“NOTICE\n\t\t\tThe sale of dogs and cats is subject to the provisions of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act (§ 59.1-196 et seq.). In the event that a licensed veterinarian certifies your animal to be unfit for purchase within 10 days following receipt of your animal, or within 14 days following receipt if the animal is infected with parvovirus, you may choose: (i) to return your animal, or in the case of an animal that has died, the veterinary certification, and receive a refund of the purchase price including sales tax; or (ii) to return the animal and receive an exchange animal of your choice of equivalent value. In the case of an animal purchased from a pet shop or a USDA licensed dealer, you also may choose to retain the animal and receive reimbursement of the cost of veterinary certification and veterinary fees in an amount up to the purchase price of the animal.\n\t\t\tIn order to exercise these rights you must present a written veterinary certification that the animal is unfit to the pet dealer within three business days after receiving such certification.\n\t\t\tIf the pet dealer has promised to register your animal or to provide the papers necessary therefor and fails to do so within 120 days following the date of contract, you are entitled to return the animal and receive a refund of the purchase price or to retain the animal and receive a refund of an amount not to exceed 50 percent of the purchase price.”B\n\nAny violation of this section shall also constitute a prohibited practice under § 59.1-200 and shall be subject to the enforcement provisions of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act (§ 59.1-196 et seq.).","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":199438,"text":"A pet dealer shall give the notice hereinafter set forth in writing to a consumer prior to the delivery of a dog or cat. Such notice shall be embodied in a written contract, the pet dealer’s animal history certificate, or a separate document and shall state in ten-point boldface type the following:\n\t\t\t“NOTICE\n\t\t\tThe sale of dogs and cats is subject to the provisions of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act (§ 59.1-196 et seq.). In the event that a licensed veterinarian certifies your animal to be unfit for purchase within 10 days following receipt of your animal, or within 14 days following receipt if the animal is infected with parvovirus, you may choose: (i) to return your animal, or in the case of an animal that has died, the veterinary certification, and receive a refund of the purchase price including sales tax; or (ii) to return the animal and receive an exchange animal of your choice of equivalent value. In the case of an animal purchased from a pet shop or a USDA licensed dealer, you also may choose to retain the animal and receive reimbursement of the cost of veterinary certification and veterinary fees in an amount up to the purchase price of the animal.\n\t\t\tIn order to exercise these rights you must present a written veterinary certification that the animal is unfit to the pet dealer within three business days after receiving such certification.\n\t\t\tIf the pet dealer has promised to register your animal or to provide the papers necessary therefor and fails to do so within 120 days following the date of contract, you are entitled to return the animal and receive a refund of the purchase price or to retain the animal and receive a refund of an amount not to exceed 50 percent of the purchase price.”","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":199439,"text":"Any violation of this section shall also constitute a prohibited practice under § 59.1-200 and shall be subject to the enforcement provisions of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act (§ 59.1-196 et seq.).","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":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},"next_section":{"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},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-6515\/","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 4 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 2008, chapter 860<\/a>; in 2014, chapter 448<\/a>; in 2020, chapter 412<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":82977,"section_number":"59.1-200","catch_line":"Prohibited practices","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-200\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":56198,"section_number":"59.1-196","catch_line":"Title","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-196\/"},{"id":82977,"section_number":"59.1-200","catch_line":"Prohibited practices","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-200\/"}],"permalink":{"id":198715,"object_type":"law","relational_id":54323,"identifier":"3.2-6515","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6515","url":"\/3.2-6515\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-6515\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/3\/3.2-6515","dublin_core":{"Title":"Written notice of consumer remedies required to be supplied by pet dealers","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-6515","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> A pet dealer<\/span> shall give the notice hereinafter set forth in writing to a consumer<\/span> prior to the delivery of a dog or cat. Such notice shall be embodied in a written contract<\/span>, the pet dealer<\/span>’s animal<\/span> history certificate, or a separate document and shall state in ten-point boldface type the following:\n\t\t\t“NOTICE\n\t\t\tThe sale of dogs and cats is subject to the provisions of the Virginia Consumer<\/span> Protection Act (§ 59.1-196<\/a> et seq.). In the event that a licensed veterinarian certifies your animal<\/span> to be unfit for purchase within 10 days following receipt of your animal<\/span>, or within 14 days following receipt if the animal<\/span> is infected with parvovirus, you may choose: (i) to return your animal<\/span>, or in the case of an animal<\/span> that has died, the veterinary certification, and receive a refund of the purchase price including sales tax; or (ii) to return the animal<\/span> and receive an exchange animal<\/span> of your choice of equivalent value. In the case of an animal<\/span> purchased from a pet shop<\/span> or a USDA licensed dealer<\/span>, you also may choose to retain the animal<\/span> and receive reimbursement of the cost of veterinary certification and veterinary fees in an amount up to the purchase price of the animal<\/span>.\n\t\t\tIn order<\/span> to exercise<\/span> these rights you must present a written veterinary certification that the animal<\/span> is unfit to the pet dealer<\/span> within three business days after receiving such certification.\n\t\t\tIf the pet dealer<\/span> has promised to register your animal<\/span> or to provide the papers necessary therefor and fails to do so within 120 days following the date of contract<\/span>, you are entitled to return the animal<\/span> and receive a refund of the purchase price or to retain the animal<\/span> and receive a refund of an amount not to exceed 50 percent of the purchase price.” <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Any violation of this section shall also constitute a prohibited practice under § 59.1-200<\/a> and shall be subject to the enforcement provisions of the Virginia Consumer<\/span> Protection Act (§ 59.1-196<\/a> et seq.). <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nWRITTEN NOTICE OF CONSUMER REMEDIES REQUIRED TO BE SUPPLIED BY PET DEALERS (\u00a7\n3.2-6515)\n\nA. A pet dealer shall give the notice hereinafter set forth in writing to a\nconsumer prior to the delivery of a dog or cat. Such notice shall be embodied in\na written contract, the pet dealer’s animal history certificate, or a\nseparate document and shall state in ten-point boldface type the following:\n\t\t\t“NOTICE\n\t\t\tThe sale of dogs and cats is subject to the provisions of the Virginia\nConsumer Protection Act (§ 59.1-196 et seq.). In the event that a licensed\nveterinarian certifies your animal to be unfit for purchase within 10 days\nfollowing receipt of your animal, or within 14 days following receipt if the\nanimal is infected with parvovirus, you may choose: (i) to return your animal,\nor in the case of an animal that has died, the veterinary certification, and\nreceive a refund of the purchase price including sales tax; or (ii) to return\nthe animal and receive an exchange animal of your choice of equivalent value. In\nthe case of an animal purchased from a pet shop or a USDA licensed dealer, you\nalso may choose to retain the animal and receive reimbursement of the cost of\nveterinary certification and veterinary fees in an amount up to the purchase\nprice of the animal.\n\t\t\tIn order to exercise these rights you must present a written veterinary\ncertification that the animal is unfit to the pet dealer within three business\ndays after receiving such certification.\n\t\t\tIf the pet dealer has promised to register your animal or to provide the\npapers necessary therefor and fails to do so within 120 days following the date\nof contract, you are entitled to return the animal and receive a refund of the\npurchase price or to retain the animal and receive a refund of an amount not to\nexceed 50 percent of the purchase price.”\n\nB. Any violation of this section shall also constitute a prohibited practice\nunder § 59.1-200 and shall be subject to the enforcement provisions of the\nVirginia Consumer Protection Act (§ 59.1-196 et seq.).\n\nHISTORY: 1984, c. 492, \u00a7 29-213.51; 1987, c. 488, \u00a7 3.1-796.81; 2008, c. 860;\n2014, c. 448; 2020, c. 412.","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}}