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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>68045</law_id><section_number>18.2-361.01</section_number><catch_line>Sexual abuse of animals; penalties</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><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="8">Crimes Involving Morals and Decency</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Commercial Sex Trafficking, Prostitution, etc</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> As used in this section:
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Animal</span>&#x201D; means any nonhuman vertebrate species.
			&#x201C;Obscene&#x201D; means the same as that term is defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="&quot;Obscene&quot; defined" href="/18.2-372/">18.2-372</a>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Obscene item</span>&#x201D; means the same as that term is defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Obscene items enumerated" href="/18.2-373/">18.2-373</a>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Sexual contact</span>&#x201D; means any act committed between a person and an <span class="dictionary">animal</span> for the purpose of sexual arousal, sexual gratification, abuse, or financial gain involving (i) contact between the sex organs or anus of one and the mouth, sex organs, or anus of another; (ii) the insertion of any part of the <span class="dictionary">animal</span>&#x2019;s body into the vaginal or anal opening of the person; or (iii) the insertion of any part of the body of a person or any <span class="dictionary">object</span> into the vaginal or anal opening of an <span class="dictionary">animal</span> or touching or fondling by a person of the sex organs or anus of an <span class="dictionary">animal</span> without a bona fide veterinary or <span class="dictionary">animal</span> husbandry purpose. <a id="paragraph-246328" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-361.01/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any person who knowingly (i) engages in <span class="dictionary">sexual contact</span> with an <span class="dictionary">animal</span>; (ii) causes another person by force, threat, or intimidation to engage in <span class="dictionary">sexual contact</span> with an <span class="dictionary">animal</span>; (iii) advertises, solicits, offers, sells, purchases, or possesses an <span class="dictionary">animal</span> with the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> that the <span class="dictionary">animal</span> be subject to <span class="dictionary">sexual contact</span>; (iv) permits <span class="dictionary">sexual contact</span> with an <span class="dictionary">animal</span> to be conducted on any premises under his ownership or control; or (v) produces, distributes, publishes, sells, transmits, finances, possesses, or possesses with the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to distribute, publish, sell, or transmit an <span class="dictionary">obscene item</span> depicting a person engaged in <span class="dictionary">sexual contact</span> with an <span class="dictionary">animal</span> is guilty of a Class 6 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>. <a id="paragraph-246329" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-361.01/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any person convicted of violating this section shall be prohibited by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> from possessing, owning, or exercising control over any <span class="dictionary">animal</span>. Additionally, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may <span class="dictionary">order</span> such person to attend an appropriate treatment program or obtain psychiatric or psychological counseling and may impose the costs of such a program or counseling upon the person convicted. <a id="paragraph-246330" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-361.01/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Nothing in this section shall apply to an accepted veterinary practice; the artificial insemination of an <span class="dictionary">animal</span> for reproductive purposes; an accepted <span class="dictionary">animal</span> husbandry practice, including grooming, raising, breeding, or assisting with the birthing process of <span class="dictionary">animals</span>; or generally accepted practices related to the judging of breed conformation. <a id="paragraph-246331" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-361.01/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> For the purpose of enforcing this section, the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="State Veterinarian's power to inspect premises where animals are kept; investigations and search warrants" href="/3.2-6502/">3.2-6502</a>, <a class="law" title="Complaint of suspected violation; investigation" href="/3.2-6564/">3.2-6564</a>, and <a class="law" title="Power of search for violations of statutes against cruelty to animals" href="/3.2-6568/">3.2-6568</a> shall apply <span class="dictionary">mutatis mutandis</span>. <a id="paragraph-246332" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-361.01/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2022, c. 594.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
