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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>60313</law_id><section_number>18.2-144.1</section_number><catch_line>Prohibition against killing or injuring police animals; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-392.12</reference><reference>3.2-6573.1</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="5">Crimes Against Property</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="7">Damage to and Tampering With Property</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>It shall be unlawful for any person to maliciously shoot, stab, wound or otherwise cause bodily injury to, or administer poison to or expose poison with <span class="dictionary">intent</span> that it be taken by a dog, horse or other animal owned, used or trained by a <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement agency, regional jail or the Department of Corrections while such animal is performing his lawful duties or is being kept in a kennel, pen or stable while off duty. A violation of this section shall be punishable as a Class 5 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall <span class="dictionary">order</span> that the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> pay <span class="dictionary">restitution</span> for the cost of any animal killed or rendered unable to perform its duties. Such cost shall include training expenses.</p></section></text><history>1989, c. 558; 1998, c. 8.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
