{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/3.2-6518.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/3.2-6518.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/3.2-6518.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/3.2-6518.html"}],"law_id":81910,"edition_id":1,"section_id":81910,"structure_id":13484,"section_number":"3.2-6518","catch_line":"Boarding establishments and groomers; veterinary care requirements; consumer notification; penalty","history":"1993, c. 174, \u00a7 3.1-796.83:1; 1996, c. 249; 2008, c. 860.","full_text":"A\n\nWhen an animal is boarded at a boarding establishment, or under the care, custody or subject to the actions of a groomer, the boarding establishment or groomer shall be responsible for providing the animal care requirements for each animal as specified in § 3.2-6503.B\n\nIf an animal becomes ill or injured while in the custody of the boarding establishment or groomer, the boarding establishment or groomer shall provide the animal with emergency veterinary treatment for the illness or injury. The consumer shall bear the reasonable and necessary costs of emergency veterinary treatment for any illness or injury occurring while the animal is in the custody of the boarding establishment or groomer. The boarding establishment or groomer shall pay for veterinary treatment of any injury that the animal sustains while at the establishment or under the care or custody of a groomer if the injury resulted from the establishment’s or groomer’s failure, whether accidental or intentional, to provide the care required by § 3.2-6503, or if the injury is a result of the actions of the boarding establishment or groomer. Boarding establishments and groomers shall not be required to bear the cost of veterinary treatment for injuries resulting from the animal’s self-mutilation.C\n\nIf an animal is seized from a boarding establishment or groomer because of the establishment’s or groomer’s failure to provide adequate food, water, shelter, exercise, and care as defined in § 3.2-6500 and required by § 3.2-6503 or because of any other violation of this chapter, the animal shall be returned to the rightful owner as soon as possible or, if the owner refuses to reclaim the animal, be impounded and disposition made pursuant to § 3.2-6569.D\n\nViolation of this section by a boarding establishment or groomer is a Class 1 misdemeanor.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":293473,"text":"When an animal is boarded at a boarding establishment, or under the care, custody or subject to the actions of a groomer, the boarding establishment or groomer shall be responsible for providing the animal care requirements for each animal as specified in § 3.2-6503.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":293474,"text":"If an animal becomes ill or injured while in the custody of the boarding establishment or groomer, the boarding establishment or groomer shall provide the animal with emergency veterinary treatment for the illness or injury. The consumer shall bear the reasonable and necessary costs of emergency veterinary treatment for any illness or injury occurring while the animal is in the custody of the boarding establishment or groomer. The boarding establishment or groomer shall pay for veterinary treatment of any injury that the animal sustains while at the establishment or under the care or custody of a groomer if the injury resulted from the establishment’s or groomer’s failure, whether accidental or intentional, to provide the care required by § 3.2-6503, or if the injury is a result of the actions of the boarding establishment or groomer. Boarding establishments and groomers shall not be required to bear the cost of veterinary treatment for injuries resulting from the animal’s self-mutilation.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":293475,"text":"If an animal is seized from a boarding establishment or groomer because of the establishment’s or groomer’s failure to provide adequate food, water, shelter, exercise, and care as defined in § 3.2-6500 and required by § 3.2-6503 or because of any other violation of this chapter, the animal shall be returned to the rightful owner as soon as possible or, if the owner refuses to reclaim the animal, be impounded and disposition made pursuant to § 3.2-6569.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":293476,"text":"Violation of this section by a boarding establishment or groomer is a Class 1 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13484,"edition_id":1,"name":"Boarding Establishments and Groomers","identifier":"4","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13170,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:59","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:59","permalink":{"id":198727,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13484,"identifier":"4","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/4","url":"\/3.2\/V\/65\/4\/","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":81910,"structure_id":13484,"section_number":"3.2-6518","catch_line":"Boarding establishments and groomers; veterinary care requirements; consumer notification; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6518\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/4\/3.2-6518","metadata":false},{"id":55903,"structure_id":13484,"section_number":"3.2-6519","catch_line":"Written notice of consumer remedies required to be supplied by boarding establishments; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6519\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/4\/3.2-6519","metadata":false},{"id":54448,"structure_id":13484,"section_number":"3.2-6520","catch_line":"Procedure for animals left unclaimed with veterinarian or boarding establishment after public notice; lien; sale","url":"\/3.2-6520\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/4\/3.2-6520","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":55903,"structure_id":13484,"section_number":"3.2-6519","catch_line":"Written notice of consumer remedies required to be supplied by boarding establishments; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6519\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/4\/3.2-6519","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-6518\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1993. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 174 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 2 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 1996, chapter 249<\/a>; in 2008, chapter 860<\/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":55903,"section_number":"3.2-6519","catch_line":"Written notice of consumer remedies required to be supplied by boarding establishments; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6519\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":86401,"section_number":"3.2-6500","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6500\/"},{"id":66904,"section_number":"3.2-6503","catch_line":"Care of companion animals by owner; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6503\/"}],"permalink":{"id":198729,"object_type":"law","relational_id":81910,"identifier":"3.2-6518","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/4\/3.2-6518","url":"\/3.2-6518\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-6518\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/4\/3.2-6518","dublin_core":{"Title":"Boarding establishments and groomers; veterinary care requirements; consumer notification; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-6518","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> When an animal<\/span> is boarded at a boarding establishment<\/span>, or under the care<\/span>, custody<\/span> or subject to the actions of a groomer<\/span>, the boarding establishment<\/span> or groomer<\/span> shall be responsible for providing the animal<\/span> care<\/span> requirements for each animal<\/span> as specified in § 3.2-6503<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> If an animal<\/span> becomes ill or injured while in the custody<\/span> of the boarding establishment<\/span> or groomer<\/span>, the boarding establishment<\/span> or groomer<\/span> shall provide the animal<\/span> with emergency veterinary treatment<\/span> for the illness or injury. The consumer<\/span> shall bear the reasonable and necessary costs of emergency veterinary treatment<\/span> for any illness or injury occurring while the animal<\/span> is in the custody<\/span> of the boarding establishment<\/span> or groomer<\/span>. The boarding establishment<\/span> or groomer<\/span> shall pay for veterinary treatment of any injury that the animal<\/span> sustains<\/span> while at the establishment or under the care<\/span> or custody<\/span> of a groomer<\/span> if the injury resulted from the establishment’s or groomer<\/span>’s failure, whether accidental or intentional, to provide the care<\/span> required by § 3.2-6503<\/a>, or if the injury is a result of the actions of the boarding establishment<\/span> or groomer<\/span>. Boarding establishments<\/span> and groomers<\/span> shall not be required to bear the cost of veterinary treatment for injuries resulting from the animal<\/span>’s self-mutilation. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> If an animal<\/span> is seized from a boarding establishment<\/span> or groomer<\/span> because of the establishment’s or groomer<\/span>’s failure to provide adequate food, water, shelter, exercise<\/span>, and care<\/span> as defined in § 3.2-6500<\/a> and required by § 3.2-6503<\/a> or because of any other violation of this chapter, the animal<\/span> shall be returned to the rightful owner<\/span> as soon as possible or, if the owner<\/span> refuses to reclaim the animal<\/span>, be impounded and disposition<\/span> made pursuant to § 3.2-6569<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Violation of this section by a boarding establishment<\/span> or groomer<\/span> is a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nBOARDING ESTABLISHMENTS AND GROOMERS; VETERINARY CARE REQUIREMENTS; CONSUMER\nNOTIFICATION; PENALTY (\u00a7 3.2-6518)\n\nA. When an animal is boarded at a boarding establishment, or under the care,\ncustody or subject to the actions of a groomer, the boarding establishment or\ngroomer shall be responsible for providing the animal care requirements for each\nanimal as specified in § 3.2-6503.\n\nB. If an animal becomes ill or injured while in the custody of the boarding\nestablishment or groomer, the boarding establishment or groomer shall provide\nthe animal with emergency veterinary treatment for the illness or injury. The\nconsumer shall bear the reasonable and necessary costs of emergency veterinary\ntreatment for any illness or injury occurring while the animal is in the custody\nof the boarding establishment or groomer. The boarding establishment or groomer\nshall pay for veterinary treatment of any injury that the animal sustains while\nat the establishment or under the care or custody of a groomer if the injury\nresulted from the establishment’s or groomer’s failure, whether\naccidental or intentional, to provide the care required by § 3.2-6503, or\nif the injury is a result of the actions of the boarding establishment or\ngroomer. Boarding establishments and groomers shall not be required to bear the\ncost of veterinary treatment for injuries resulting from the animal’s\nself-mutilation.\n\nC. If an animal is seized from a boarding establishment or groomer because of\nthe establishment’s or groomer’s failure to provide adequate food,\nwater, shelter, exercise, and care as defined in § 3.2-6500 and required by\n§ 3.2-6503 or because of any other violation of this chapter, the animal\nshall be returned to the rightful owner as soon as possible or, if the owner\nrefuses to reclaim the animal, be impounded and disposition made pursuant to\n§ 3.2-6569.\n\nD. Violation of this section by a boarding establishment or groomer is a Class 1\nmisdemeanor.\n\nHISTORY: 1993, c. 174, \u00a7 3.1-796.83:1; 1996, c. 249; 2008, c. 860.","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}}