{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/55.1-2834.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/55.1-2834.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/55.1-2834.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/55.1-2834.html"}],"law_id":74986,"edition_id":1,"section_id":74986,"structure_id":14699,"section_number":"55.1-2834","catch_line":"Owner of domesticated livestock liable for trespasses","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 8-900; 1977, c. 624, \u00a7 55-330; 1979, c. 486; 2019, c. 712.","full_text":"If any domesticated livestock, as to which the boundaries of the lots or tracts of land in any county, magisterial district, or selected portion of such county constitute a lawful fence, are found going at large within such county, district, or portion of such county, or upon the lands of any person other than the owner, the owner or manager of such animals shall be liable for all damage or injury done by such animals to the owner of the crops or lands upon which they trespass, whether the animals wander from the premises of their owner in the county in which the trespass was committed or from another county, provided that when the boundaries of lots or tracts of land in only one of two adjoining counties constitutes a lawful fence, and any of such animals escapes across the line or boundary of the two counties, the owner of such animal shall not be liable to the fine imposed by subsection B of \u00a7 55.1-2810, nor for any trespass committed by such animal upon the lands lying next to such line or boundary, nor to a forfeiture of the animal, unless the land upon which the trespass is alleged to have been committed is enclosed, as provided in \u00a7 55.1-2804.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":269367,"text":"If any domesticated livestock, as to which the boundaries of the lots or tracts of land in any county, magisterial district, or selected portion of such county constitute a lawful fence, are found going at large within such county, district, or portion of such county, or upon the lands of any person other than the owner, the owner or manager of such animals shall be liable for all damage or injury done by such animals to the owner of the crops or lands upon which they trespass, whether the animals wander from the premises of their owner in the county in which the trespass was committed or from another county, provided that when the boundaries of lots or tracts of land in only one of two adjoining counties constitutes a lawful fence, and any of such animals escapes across the line or boundary of the two counties, the owner of such animal shall not be liable to the fine imposed by subsection B of \u00a7 55.1-2810, nor for any trespass committed by such animal upon the lands lying next to such line or boundary, nor to a forfeiture of the animal, unless the land upon which the trespass is alleged to have been committed is enclosed, as provided in \u00a7 55.1-2804.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14699,"edition_id":1,"name":"Special Provisions for Unincorporated Communities","identifier":"7","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14623,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:49:24","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:49:24","permalink":{"id":248309,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14699,"identifier":"7","token":"55.1\/V\/28\/7","url":"\/55.1\/V\/28\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14623,"edition_id":1,"name":"Trespasses; Fences","identifier":"28","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12708,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:57","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:57","permalink":{"id":248187,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14623,"identifier":"28","token":"55.1\/V\/28","url":"\/55.1\/V\/28\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12708,"edition_id":1,"name":"Miscellaneous","identifier":"V","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12707,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":247771,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12708,"identifier":"V","token":"55.1\/V","url":"\/55.1\/V\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12707,"edition_id":1,"name":"Property and Conveyances","identifier":"55.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":244769,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12707,"identifier":"55.1","token":"55.1","url":"\/55.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":66938,"structure_id":14699,"section_number":"55.1-2827","catch_line":"Courts to fix boundaries of villages to prevent animals from running at large","url":"\/55.1-2827\/","token":"55.1\/V\/28\/7\/55.1-2827","metadata":false},{"id":79982,"structure_id":14699,"section_number":"55.1-2828","catch_line":"Petition for action to fix boundaries of village or unincorporated community","url":"\/55.1-2828\/","token":"55.1\/V\/28\/7\/55.1-2828","metadata":false},{"id":66820,"structure_id":14699,"section_number":"55.1-2829","catch_line":"Entry of order if petition not contested","url":"\/55.1-2829\/","token":"55.1\/V\/28\/7\/55.1-2829","metadata":false},{"id":75363,"structure_id":14699,"section_number":"55.1-2830","catch_line":"Procedure in case of contest","url":"\/55.1-2830\/","token":"55.1\/V\/28\/7\/55.1-2830","metadata":false},{"id":85876,"structure_id":14699,"section_number":"55.1-2831","catch_line":"Order of court","url":"\/55.1-2831\/","token":"55.1\/V\/28\/7\/55.1-2831","metadata":false},{"id":56340,"structure_id":14699,"section_number":"55.1-2832","catch_line":"Animals shall not run at large after entry of order","url":"\/55.1-2832\/","token":"55.1\/V\/28\/7\/55.1-2832","metadata":false},{"id":68603,"structure_id":14699,"section_number":"55.1-2833","catch_line":"Costs","url":"\/55.1-2833\/","token":"55.1\/V\/28\/7\/55.1-2833","metadata":false},{"id":74986,"structure_id":14699,"section_number":"55.1-2834","catch_line":"Owner of domesticated livestock liable for trespasses","url":"\/55.1-2834\/","token":"55.1\/V\/28\/7\/55.1-2834","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":68603,"structure_id":14699,"section_number":"55.1-2833","catch_line":"Costs","url":"\/55.1-2833\/","token":"55.1\/V\/28\/7\/55.1-2833","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/55.1-2834\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 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 1977, chapter 624; in 1979, chapter 486; in 2019, chapter 712<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":70258,"section_number":"55.1-2804","catch_line":"Description of lawful fence","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-2804\/"},{"id":57780,"section_number":"55.1-2810","catch_line":"Damages for trespass by animals; punitive and double damages","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-2810\/"}],"permalink":{"id":248339,"object_type":"law","relational_id":74986,"identifier":"55.1-2834","token":"55.1\/V\/28\/7\/55.1-2834","url":"\/55.1-2834\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/55.1-2834\/","token":"55.1\/V\/28\/7\/55.1-2834","dublin_core":{"Title":"Owner of domesticated livestock liable for trespasses","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 55.1-2834","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

If any domesticated livestock, as to which the boundaries of the lots or tracts of land in any county, magisterial district, or selected portion of such county constitute a lawful fence, are found going at large within such county, district, or portion of such county, or upon the lands of any person other than the owner, the owner or manager of such animals shall be liable for all damage or injury done by such animals to the owner of the crops or lands upon which they trespass, whether the animals wander from the premises of their owner in the county in which the trespass was committed or from another county, provided that when the boundaries of lots or tracts of land in only one of two adjoining counties constitutes a lawful fence, and any of such animals escapes across the line or boundary of the two counties, the owner of such animal shall not be liable to the fine imposed by subsection B of \u00a7 55.1-2810<\/a>, nor for any trespass committed by such animal upon the lands lying next to such line or boundary, nor to a forfeiture of the animal, unless the land upon which the trespass is alleged to have been committed is enclosed, as provided in \u00a7 55.1-2804<\/a>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nOWNER OF DOMESTICATED LIVESTOCK LIABLE FOR TRESPASSES (\u00a7 55.1-2834)\n\nIf any domesticated livestock, as to which the boundaries of the lots or tracts\nof land in any county, magisterial district, or selected portion of such county\nconstitute a lawful fence, are found going at large within such county,\ndistrict, or portion of such county, or upon the lands of any person other than\nthe owner, the owner or manager of such animals shall be liable for all damage\nor injury done by such animals to the owner of the crops or lands upon which\nthey trespass, whether the animals wander from the premises of their owner in\nthe county in which the trespass was committed or from another county, provided\nthat when the boundaries of lots or tracts of land in only one of two adjoining\ncounties constitutes a lawful fence, and any of such animals escapes across the\nline or boundary of the two counties, the owner of such animal shall not be\nliable to the fine imposed by subsection B of \u00a7 55.1-2810, nor for any trespass\ncommitted by such animal upon the lands lying next to such line or boundary, nor\nto a forfeiture of the animal, unless the land upon which the trespass is\nalleged to have been committed is enclosed, as provided in \u00a7 55.1-2804.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 8-900; 1977, c. 624, \u00a7 55-330; 1979, c. 486; 2019, c.\n712.","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}}