{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/3.2-6558.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/3.2-6558.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/3.2-6558.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/3.2-6558.html"}],"law_id":68988,"edition_id":1,"section_id":68988,"structure_id":15216,"section_number":"3.2-6558","catch_line":"Humane investigators; qualifications; appointment; term","history":"1984, c. 492, \u00a7 29-213.75; 1987, c. 488, \u00a7 3.1-796.106; 1998, c. 817; 2003, c. 858; 2004, c. 181; 2008, c. 860.","full_text":"A\n\nA circuit court may reappoint any person as a humane investigator for any locality within its jurisdiction if the person:1\n\nWas appointed as a humane investigator prior to July 1, 2003; and2\n\nHas never been convicted of animal cruelty or neglect, any felony, or any crime of moral turpitude according to a criminal background check, which shall be performed by the attorney for the Commonwealth at the expense of the person seeking the appointment.B\n\nA circuit court may appoint a person to fill a vacancy in that jurisdiction created when a humane investigator who was appointed prior to July 1, 2003, is no longer willing or eligible to be a humane investigator, provided the person seeking appointment:1\n\nHas received a written recommendation from the administrative entity that oversees animal control in the locality where the humane investigator seeks appointment;2\n\nHas never been convicted of animal cruelty or neglect, any felony, or any crime of moral turpitude according to a criminal background check, which shall be performed by the attorney for the Commonwealth at the expense of the person seeking the appointment; and3\n\nHas completed a basic animal control course approved by the State Veterinarian pursuant to § 3.2-6556.C\n\nA person residing outside the Commonwealth may be appointed as a humane investigator only if he is employed by a humane society located within the locality where he is seeking appointment.D\n\nReappointments of humane investigators shall be for terms of three years. Each humane investigator shall, during each term for which he is appointed, complete 15 hours of training in animal care and protection approved for animal control officers. If a humane investigator is appointed to a succeeding term before or within 30 days after his current term expires, a criminal background check shall not be required. If a humane investigator’s term expires and he is not appointed to a succeeding term before or within 30 days after his current term expires, the humane investigator shall not be appointed to another term.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":249727,"text":"A circuit court may reappoint any person as a humane investigator for any locality within its jurisdiction if the person:","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"A1"},"1":{"id":249728,"text":"Was appointed as a humane investigator prior to July 1, 2003; and","type":"section","prefixes":["A","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"A1","prefix_anchor":"A1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"A2"},"2":{"id":249729,"text":"Has never been convicted of animal cruelty or neglect, any felony, or any crime of moral turpitude according to a criminal background check, which shall be performed by the attorney for the Commonwealth at the expense of the person seeking the appointment.","type":"section","prefixes":["A","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"A2","prefix_anchor":"A2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A1","next_prefix":"B"},"3":{"id":249730,"text":"A circuit court may appoint a person to fill a vacancy in that jurisdiction created when a humane investigator who was appointed prior to July 1, 2003, is no longer willing or eligible to be a humane investigator, provided the person seeking appointment:","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A2","next_prefix":"B1"},"4":{"id":249731,"text":"Has received a written recommendation from the administrative entity that oversees animal control in the locality where the humane investigator seeks appointment;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"B1","prefix_anchor":"B1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"B2"},"5":{"id":249732,"text":"Has never been convicted of animal cruelty or neglect, any felony, or any crime of moral turpitude according to a criminal background check, which shall be performed by the attorney for the Commonwealth at the expense of the person seeking the appointment; and","type":"section","prefixes":["B","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"B2","prefix_anchor":"B2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B1","next_prefix":"B3"},"6":{"id":249733,"text":"Has completed a basic animal control course approved by the State Veterinarian pursuant to § 3.2-6556.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"B3","prefix_anchor":"B3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B2","next_prefix":"C"},"7":{"id":249734,"text":"A person residing outside the Commonwealth may be appointed as a humane investigator only if he is employed by a humane society located within the locality where he is seeking appointment.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B3","next_prefix":"D"},"8":{"id":249735,"text":"Reappointments of humane investigators shall be for terms of three years. Each humane investigator shall, during each term for which he is appointed, complete 15 hours of training in animal care and protection approved for animal control officers. If a humane investigator is appointed to a succeeding term before or within 30 days after his current term expires, a criminal background check shall not be required. If a humane investigator’s term expires and he is not appointed to a succeeding term before or within 30 days after his current term expires, the humane investigator shall not be appointed to another term.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15216,"edition_id":1,"name":"Animal Control Officers and Humane Investigators","identifier":"7","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13170,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:53:07","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:53:07","permalink":{"id":198921,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15216,"identifier":"7","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7","url":"\/3.2\/V\/65\/7\/","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":65545,"structure_id":15216,"section_number":"3.2-6555","catch_line":"Position of animal control officer created","url":"\/3.2-6555\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6555","metadata":false},{"id":74461,"structure_id":15216,"section_number":"3.2-6556","catch_line":"Training of animal control officers","url":"\/3.2-6556\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6556","metadata":false},{"id":58132,"structure_id":15216,"section_number":"3.2-6557","catch_line":"Animal control officers and humane investigators; limitations; records; penalties","url":"\/3.2-6557\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6557","metadata":false},{"id":68988,"structure_id":15216,"section_number":"3.2-6558","catch_line":"Humane investigators; qualifications; appointment; term","url":"\/3.2-6558\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6558","metadata":false},{"id":71766,"structure_id":15216,"section_number":"3.2-6559","catch_line":"Powers and duties of humane investigators","url":"\/3.2-6559\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6559","metadata":false},{"id":75029,"structure_id":15216,"section_number":"3.2-6560","catch_line":"Expenses of humane investigators","url":"\/3.2-6560\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6560","metadata":false},{"id":85740,"structure_id":15216,"section_number":"3.2-6561","catch_line":"Revocation of appointment of humane investigators","url":"\/3.2-6561\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6561","metadata":false},{"id":86859,"structure_id":15216,"section_number":"3.2-6562","catch_line":"Capturing, confining, and euthanizing companion animals by animal control officers; approval of drugs used","url":"\/3.2-6562\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6562","metadata":false},{"id":57951,"structure_id":15216,"section_number":"3.2-6562.1","catch_line":"Rabies exposure; local authority and responsibility plan","url":"\/3.2-6562.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6562.1","metadata":false},{"id":62687,"structure_id":15216,"section_number":"3.2-6562.2","catch_line":"Rabies exposure reports","url":"\/3.2-6562.2\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6562.2","metadata":false},{"id":74859,"structure_id":15216,"section_number":"3.2-6563","catch_line":"When animals to be euthanized; procedure","url":"\/3.2-6563\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6563","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":58132,"structure_id":15216,"section_number":"3.2-6557","catch_line":"Animal control officers and humane investigators; limitations; records; penalties","url":"\/3.2-6557\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6557","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":71766,"structure_id":15216,"section_number":"3.2-6559","catch_line":"Powers and duties of humane investigators","url":"\/3.2-6559\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6559","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-6558\/","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 5 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 1998, chapter 817<\/a>; in 2003, chapter 858<\/a>; in 2004, chapter 181<\/a>; in 2008, chapter 860<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":86401,"section_number":"3.2-6500","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6500\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":198935,"object_type":"law","relational_id":68988,"identifier":"3.2-6558","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6558","url":"\/3.2-6558\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-6558\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6558","dublin_core":{"Title":"Humane investigators; qualifications; appointment; term","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-6558","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> A circuit<\/span> court<\/span> may reappoint any person as a humane investigator<\/span> for any locality within its jurisdiction<\/span> if the person: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Was appointed as a humane investigator<\/span> prior to July 1, 2003; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Has never been convicted of animal<\/span> cruelty or neglect, any felony<\/span>, or any crime<\/span> of moral turpitude<\/span> according to a criminal background check, which shall be performed by the attorney for the Commonwealth at the expense of the person seeking the appointment. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> A circuit<\/span> court<\/span> may appoint a person to fill a vacancy in that jurisdiction<\/span> created when a humane investigator<\/span> who was appointed prior to July 1, 2003, is no longer willing or eligible to be a humane investigator<\/span>, provided the person seeking appointment: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Has received a written recommendation from the administrative entity that oversees animal<\/span> control in the locality where the humane investigator<\/span> seeks appointment; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Has never been convicted of animal<\/span> cruelty or neglect, any felony<\/span>, or any crime<\/span> of moral turpitude<\/span> according to a criminal background check, which shall be performed by the attorney for the Commonwealth at the expense of the person seeking the appointment; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Has completed a basic animal<\/span> control course approved by the State Veterinarian<\/span> pursuant to § 3.2-6556<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> A person residing outside the Commonwealth may be appointed as a humane investigator<\/span> only if he is employed by a humane society<\/span> located within the locality where he is seeking appointment. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Reappointments of humane investigators<\/span> shall be for terms of three years. Each humane investigator<\/span> shall, during each term for which he is appointed, complete 15 hours of training in animal care<\/span> and protection approved for animal control officers<\/span>. If a humane investigator<\/span> is appointed to a succeeding term before or within 30 days after his current term expires, a criminal background check shall not be required. If a humane investigator<\/span>’s term expires and he is not appointed to a succeeding term before or within 30 days after his current term expires, the humane investigator<\/span> shall not be appointed to another term. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nHUMANE INVESTIGATORS; QUALIFICATIONS; APPOINTMENT; TERM (\u00a7 3.2-6558)\n\nA. A circuit court may reappoint any person as a humane investigator for any\nlocality within its jurisdiction if the person:\n\n 1. Was appointed as a humane investigator prior to July 1, 2003; and\n\n 2. Has never been convicted of animal cruelty or neglect, any felony, or any\n crime of moral turpitude according to a criminal background check, which shall\n be performed by the attorney for the Commonwealth at the expense of the person\n seeking the appointment.\n\nB. A circuit court may appoint a person to fill a vacancy in that jurisdiction\ncreated when a humane investigator who was appointed prior to July 1, 2003, is\nno longer willing or eligible to be a humane investigator, provided the person\nseeking appointment:\n\n 1. Has received a written recommendation from the administrative entity that\n oversees animal control in the locality where the humane investigator seeks\n appointment;\n\n 2. Has never been convicted of animal cruelty or neglect, any felony, or any\n crime of moral turpitude according to a criminal background check, which shall\n be performed by the attorney for the Commonwealth at the expense of the person\n seeking the appointment; and\n\n 3. Has completed a basic animal control course approved by the State\n Veterinarian pursuant to § 3.2-6556.\n\nC. A person residing outside the Commonwealth may be appointed as a humane\ninvestigator only if he is employed by a humane society located within the\nlocality where he is seeking appointment.\n\nD. Reappointments of humane investigators shall be for terms of three years.\nEach humane investigator shall, during each term for which he is appointed,\ncomplete 15 hours of training in animal care and protection approved for animal\ncontrol officers. If a humane investigator is appointed to a succeeding term\nbefore or within 30 days after his current term expires, a criminal background\ncheck shall not be required. If a humane investigator’s term expires and\nhe is not appointed to a succeeding term before or within 30 days after his\ncurrent term expires, the humane investigator shall not be appointed to another\nterm.\n\nHISTORY: 1984, c. 492, \u00a7 29-213.75; 1987, c. 488, \u00a7 3.1-796.106; 1998, c. 817;\n2003, c. 858; 2004, c. 181; 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}}