{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/3.2-6564.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/3.2-6564.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/3.2-6564.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/3.2-6564.html"}],"law_id":62173,"edition_id":1,"section_id":62173,"structure_id":13900,"section_number":"3.2-6564","catch_line":"Complaint of suspected violation; investigation","history":"1984, c. 492, \u00a7 29-213.76; 1987, c. 488, \u00a7 3.1-796.107; 1991, c. 451; 1993, c. 174; 1998, c. 817; 2008, c. 860.","full_text":"A\n\nUpon receiving a complaint of a suspected violation of this chapter, any ordinance enacted pursuant to this chapter or any law for the protection of domestic animals, any animal control officer, law-enforcement officer, or State Veterinarian’s representative may, for the purpose of investigating the allegations of the complaint, enter upon, during business hours, any business premises, including any place where animals or animal records are housed or kept, of any dealer, pet shop, groomer, or boarding establishment. Upon receiving a complaint of a suspected violation of any law or ordinance regarding care or treatment of animals or disposal of dead animals, any humane investigator may, for the purpose of investigating the allegations of the complaint, enter upon, during business hours, any business premises, including any place where animals or animal records are housed or kept, of any dealer, pet shop, groomer, or boarding establishment.\n\t\t\tUpon obtaining a warrant as provided for in § 3.2-6568, the law-enforcement officer, animal control officer, State Veterinarian’s representative, or humane investigator may enter upon any other premises where the animal or animals described in the complaint are housed or kept. Attorneys for the Commonwealth and law-enforcement officials shall provide such assistance as may be required in the conduct of such investigations.B\n\nIf the investigation discloses that a violation of § 3.2-6503 has occurred, the investigating official shall notify the owner or custodian of the complaint and of what action is necessary to comply with this chapter.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":226792,"text":"Upon receiving a complaint of a suspected violation of this chapter, any ordinance enacted pursuant to this chapter or any law for the protection of domestic animals, any animal control officer, law-enforcement officer, or State Veterinarian’s representative may, for the purpose of investigating the allegations of the complaint, enter upon, during business hours, any business premises, including any place where animals or animal records are housed or kept, of any dealer, pet shop, groomer, or boarding establishment. Upon receiving a complaint of a suspected violation of any law or ordinance regarding care or treatment of animals or disposal of dead animals, any humane investigator may, for the purpose of investigating the allegations of the complaint, enter upon, during business hours, any business premises, including any place where animals or animal records are housed or kept, of any dealer, pet shop, groomer, or boarding establishment.\n\t\t\tUpon obtaining a warrant as provided for in § 3.2-6568, the law-enforcement officer, animal control officer, State Veterinarian’s representative, or humane investigator may enter upon any other premises where the animal or animals described in the complaint are housed or kept. Attorneys for the Commonwealth and law-enforcement officials shall provide such assistance as may be required in the conduct of such investigations.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":226793,"text":"If the investigation discloses that a violation of § 3.2-6503 has occurred, the investigating official shall notify the owner or custodian of the complaint and of what action is necessary to comply with this chapter.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13900,"edition_id":1,"name":"Search, Seizure, Impounding, and Enforcement","identifier":"8","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13170,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:14","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:14","permalink":{"id":198967,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13900,"identifier":"8","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/8","url":"\/3.2\/V\/65\/8\/","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":62173,"structure_id":13900,"section_number":"3.2-6564","catch_line":"Complaint of suspected violation; investigation","url":"\/3.2-6564\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/8\/3.2-6564","metadata":false},{"id":54939,"structure_id":13900,"section_number":"3.2-6565","catch_line":"Impoundment; expenses; lien; disposition of animal","url":"\/3.2-6565\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/8\/3.2-6565","metadata":false},{"id":68802,"structure_id":13900,"section_number":"3.2-6566","catch_line":"Preventing cruelty to animals; interference; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6566\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/8\/3.2-6566","metadata":false},{"id":79880,"structure_id":13900,"section_number":"3.2-6567","catch_line":"Enforcement authority","url":"\/3.2-6567\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/8\/3.2-6567","metadata":false},{"id":76161,"structure_id":13900,"section_number":"3.2-6568","catch_line":"Power of search for violations of statutes against cruelty to animals","url":"\/3.2-6568\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/8\/3.2-6568","metadata":false},{"id":55376,"structure_id":13900,"section_number":"3.2-6569","catch_line":"Seizure and impoundment of animals; notice and hearing; disposition of animal; disposition of proceeds upon sale","url":"\/3.2-6569\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/8\/3.2-6569","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":54939,"structure_id":13900,"section_number":"3.2-6565","catch_line":"Impoundment; expenses; lien; disposition of animal","url":"\/3.2-6565\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/8\/3.2-6565","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-6564\/","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 1991, chapter 451; in 1993, chapter 174; in 1998, chapter 817<\/a>; in 2008, chapter 860<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":68045,"section_number":"18.2-361.01","catch_line":"Sexual abuse of animals; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-361.01\/"},{"id":56906,"section_number":"3.2-6502","catch_line":"State Veterinarian's power to inspect premises where animals are kept; investigations and search warrants","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6502\/"},{"id":66794,"section_number":"3.2-6506","catch_line":"Exceptions regarding veterinarians","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6506\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":66904,"section_number":"3.2-6503","catch_line":"Care of companion animals by owner; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6503\/"},{"id":76161,"section_number":"3.2-6568","catch_line":"Power of search for violations of statutes against cruelty to animals","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6568\/"}],"permalink":{"id":198969,"object_type":"law","relational_id":62173,"identifier":"3.2-6564","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/8\/3.2-6564","url":"\/3.2-6564\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-6564\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/8\/3.2-6564","dublin_core":{"Title":"Complaint of suspected violation; investigation","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-6564","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Upon receiving a complaint of a suspected violation of this chapter, any ordinance<\/span> enacted pursuant to this chapter or any law<\/span> for the protection of domestic animals<\/span>, any animal control officer<\/span>, law<\/span>-enforcement officer<\/span>, or State Veterinarian<\/span>’s representative may, for the purpose of investigating the allegations<\/span> of the complaint, enter upon, during business hours, any business premises, including any place where animals<\/span> or animal records are housed or kept, of any dealer<\/span>, pet shop<\/span>, groomer<\/span>, or boarding establishment<\/span>. Upon receiving a complaint of a suspected violation of any law<\/span> or ordinance<\/span> regarding care<\/span> or treatment<\/span> of animals<\/span> or disposal of dead animals<\/span>, any humane investigator<\/span> may, for the purpose of investigating the allegations<\/span> of the complaint, enter upon, during business hours, any business premises, including any place where animals<\/span> or animal records are housed or kept, of any dealer<\/span>, pet shop<\/span>, groomer<\/span>, or boarding establishment<\/span>.\n\t\t\tUpon obtaining a warrant as provided for in § 3.2-6568<\/a>, the law<\/span>-enforcement officer<\/span>, animal control officer<\/span>, State Veterinarian<\/span>’s representative, or humane investigator<\/span> may enter upon any other premises where the animal or animals<\/span> described in the complaint are housed or kept. Attorneys for the Commonwealth and law<\/span>-enforcement officials shall provide such assistance as may be required in the conduct of such investigations. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> If the investigation discloses that a violation of § 3.2-6503<\/a> has occurred, the investigating official shall notify the owner<\/span> or custodian of the complaint and of what action is necessary to comply with this chapter. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCOMPLAINT OF SUSPECTED VIOLATION; INVESTIGATION (\u00a7 3.2-6564)\n\nA. Upon receiving a complaint of a suspected violation of this chapter, any\nordinance enacted pursuant to this chapter or any law for the protection of\ndomestic animals, any animal control officer, law-enforcement officer, or State\nVeterinarian’s representative may, for the purpose of investigating the\nallegations of the complaint, enter upon, during business hours, any business\npremises, including any place where animals or animal records are housed or\nkept, of any dealer, pet shop, groomer, or boarding establishment. Upon\nreceiving a complaint of a suspected violation of any law or ordinance regarding\ncare or treatment of animals or disposal of dead animals, any humane\ninvestigator may, for the purpose of investigating the allegations of the\ncomplaint, enter upon, during business hours, any business premises, including\nany place where animals or animal records are housed or kept, of any dealer, pet\nshop, groomer, or boarding establishment.\n\t\t\tUpon obtaining a warrant as provided for in § 3.2-6568, the\nlaw-enforcement officer, animal control officer, State Veterinarian’s\nrepresentative, or humane investigator may enter upon any other premises where\nthe animal or animals described in the complaint are housed or kept. Attorneys\nfor the Commonwealth and law-enforcement officials shall provide such assistance\nas may be required in the conduct of such investigations.\n\nB. If the investigation discloses that a violation of § 3.2-6503 has\noccurred, the investigating official shall notify the owner or custodian of the\ncomplaint and of what action is necessary to comply with this chapter.\n\nHISTORY: 1984, c. 492, \u00a7 29-213.76; 1987, c. 488, \u00a7 3.1-796.107; 1991, c. 451;\n1993, c. 174; 1998, c. 817; 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}}