{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/3.2-6573.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/3.2-6573.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/3.2-6573.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/3.2-6573.1.html"}],"law_id":74705,"edition_id":1,"section_id":74705,"structure_id":13704,"section_number":"3.2-6573.1","catch_line":"Local animal cruelty registries","history":"2024, cc. 712, 758.","full_text":"A\n\nAny locality may establish, organize, and maintain a computerized animal cruelty registry as a database of information regarding persons convicted of a felony violation of (i) cruelty to animals as provided by § 3.2-6570; (ii) animal fighting as provided by § 3.2-6571; (iii) maiming, killing, or poisoning an animal as provided by § 18.2-144; or (iv) killing or injuring a police animal as provided by § 18.2-144.1. Information on such registry may include the name and address of the offender at the time of conviction as well as the offense for which the offender was convicted and the date and place of conviction. Access to such registry may be made available to the public on the website of the locality or local police department.B\n\nOn a form promulgated by a locality or local police department, a person may request removal of his name and information from a registry established in subsection A not less than 15 years after the violation that warranted inclusion in the registry, provided he has no additional felony convictions of an offense listed in subsection A.C\n\nA locality that has established a registry pursuant to subsection A may adopt ordinances and develop forms to implement the provisions of this section, including the operation and maintenance of a registry and the removal of records on persons who are deceased, whose convictions have been reversed or who have been pardoned, or who have requested removal pursuant to subsection B.D\n\nAll costs to establish, organize, and maintain a locality’s animal cruelty registry pursuant to this section shall be borne by such locality.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":268503,"text":"Any locality may establish, organize, and maintain a computerized animal cruelty registry as a database of information regarding persons convicted of a felony violation of (i) cruelty to animals as provided by § 3.2-6570; (ii) animal fighting as provided by § 3.2-6571; (iii) maiming, killing, or poisoning an animal as provided by § 18.2-144; or (iv) killing or injuring a police animal as provided by § 18.2-144.1. Information on such registry may include the name and address of the offender at the time of conviction as well as the offense for which the offender was convicted and the date and place of conviction. Access to such registry may be made available to the public on the website of the locality or local police department.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":268504,"text":"On a form promulgated by a locality or local police department, a person may request removal of his name and information from a registry established in subsection A not less than 15 years after the violation that warranted inclusion in the registry, provided he has no additional felony convictions of an offense listed in subsection A.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":268505,"text":"A locality that has established a registry pursuant to subsection A may adopt ordinances and develop forms to implement the provisions of this section, including the operation and maintenance of a registry and the removal of records on persons who are deceased, whose convictions have been reversed or who have been pardoned, or who have requested removal pursuant to subsection B.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":268506,"text":"All costs to establish, organize, and maintain a locality’s animal cruelty registry pursuant to this section shall be borne by such locality.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13704,"edition_id":1,"name":"Cruelty to Animals","identifier":"9","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13170,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:36","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:36","permalink":{"id":198993,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13704,"identifier":"9","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/9","url":"\/3.2\/V\/65\/9\/","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":72218,"structure_id":13704,"section_number":"3.2-6570","catch_line":"Cruelty to animals; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6570\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/9\/3.2-6570","metadata":false},{"id":64865,"structure_id":13704,"section_number":"3.2-6570.1","catch_line":"Sale of animals after cruelty or neglect conviction; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6570.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/9\/3.2-6570.1","metadata":false},{"id":54687,"structure_id":13704,"section_number":"3.2-6571","catch_line":"Animal fighting; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6571\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/9\/3.2-6571","metadata":false},{"id":78349,"structure_id":13704,"section_number":"3.2-6572","catch_line":"Reserved","url":"\/3.2-6572\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/9\/3.2-6572","metadata":false},{"id":73177,"structure_id":13704,"section_number":"3.2-6573","catch_line":"Shooting birds for amusement, and renting premises for such purposes; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6573\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/9\/3.2-6573","metadata":false},{"id":74705,"structure_id":13704,"section_number":"3.2-6573.1","catch_line":"Local animal cruelty registries","url":"\/3.2-6573.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/9\/3.2-6573.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":73177,"structure_id":13704,"section_number":"3.2-6573","catch_line":"Shooting birds for amusement, and renting premises for such purposes; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6573\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/9\/3.2-6573","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-6573.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2024. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 712<\/a> and 758<\/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":[{"id":78164,"section_number":"18.2-144","catch_line":"Maiming, killing or poisoning animals, fowl, etc","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-144\/"},{"id":60313,"section_number":"18.2-144.1","catch_line":"Prohibition against killing or injuring police animals; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-144.1\/"},{"id":72218,"section_number":"3.2-6570","catch_line":"Cruelty to animals; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6570\/"},{"id":54687,"section_number":"3.2-6571","catch_line":"Animal fighting; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6571\/"}],"permalink":{"id":199015,"object_type":"law","relational_id":74705,"identifier":"3.2-6573.1","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/9\/3.2-6573.1","url":"\/3.2-6573.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-6573.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/9\/3.2-6573.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Local animal cruelty registries","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-6573.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Any locality may establish, organize, and maintain a computerized animal<\/span> cruelty registry as a database of information regarding persons convicted of a felony<\/span> violation of (i) cruelty to animals<\/span> as provided by § 3.2-6570<\/a>; (ii) animal<\/span> fighting as provided by § 3.2-6571<\/a>; (iii) maiming, killing, or poisoning an animal<\/span> as provided by § 18.2-144<\/a>; or (iv) killing or injuring a police animal<\/span> as provided by § 18.2-144.1<\/a>. Information on such registry may include the name and address of the offender at the time of conviction<\/span> as well as the offense<\/span> for which the offender was convicted and the date and place of conviction<\/span>. Access to such registry may be made available to the public on the website of the locality or local police department<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> On a form promulgated by a locality or local police department<\/span>, a person may request removal of his name and information from a registry established in subsection A not less than 15 years after the violation that warranted inclusion in the registry, provided he has no additional felony<\/span> convictions<\/span> of an offense<\/span> listed in subsection A. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> A locality that has established a registry pursuant to subsection A may adopt ordinances<\/span> and develop forms to implement the provisions of this section, including the operation and maintenance of a registry and the removal of records on persons who are deceased, whose convictions<\/span> have been reversed or who have been pardoned, or who have requested removal pursuant to subsection B. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> All costs to establish, organize, and maintain a locality’s animal<\/span> cruelty registry pursuant to this section shall be borne by such locality. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nLOCAL ANIMAL CRUELTY REGISTRIES (\u00a7 3.2-6573.1)\n\nA. Any locality may establish, organize, and maintain a computerized animal\ncruelty registry as a database of information regarding persons convicted of a\nfelony violation of (i) cruelty to animals as provided by § 3.2-6570; (ii)\nanimal fighting as provided by § 3.2-6571; (iii) maiming, killing, or\npoisoning an animal as provided by § 18.2-144; or (iv) killing or injuring\na police animal as provided by § 18.2-144.1. Information on such registry\nmay include the name and address of the offender at the time of conviction as\nwell as the offense for which the offender was convicted and the date and place\nof conviction. Access to such registry may be made available to the public on\nthe website of the locality or local police department.\n\nB. On a form promulgated by a locality or local police department, a person may\nrequest removal of his name and information from a registry established in\nsubsection A not less than 15 years after the violation that warranted inclusion\nin the registry, provided he has no additional felony convictions of an offense\nlisted in subsection A.\n\nC. A locality that has established a registry pursuant to subsection A may adopt\nordinances and develop forms to implement the provisions of this section,\nincluding the operation and maintenance of a registry and the removal of records\non persons who are deceased, whose convictions have been reversed or who have\nbeen pardoned, or who have requested removal pursuant to subsection B.\n\nD. All costs to establish, organize, and maintain a locality’s animal\ncruelty registry pursuant to this section shall be borne by such locality.\n\nHISTORY: 2024, cc. 712, 758.","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}}