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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>71599</law_id><section_number>3.2-6509.1</section_number><catch_line>Disclosure of animal bite history; 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="3.2">Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="V">Domestic Animals</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="65">Comprehensive Animal Care</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="3">Transportation and Sale of Animals</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any custodian of a <span class="dictionary">releasing agency</span>, <span class="dictionary">animal control officer</span>, <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer</span>, or <span class="dictionary">humane investigator</span>, upon taking <span class="dictionary">custody</span> of any dog or cat in the course of his official duties, shall ask and document whether, if known, the dog or cat has bitten a person or other animal and the circumstances and date of such bite. Any custodian of a <span class="dictionary">releasing agency</span>, <span class="dictionary">animal control officer</span>, <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer</span>, or <span class="dictionary">humane investigator</span>, upon release of a dog or cat for (i) <span class="dictionary">adoption</span>, (ii) return to a rightful <span class="dictionary">owner</span>, or (iii) transfer to another agency, shall disclose, if known, that the dog or cat has bitten a person or other animal and the circumstances and date of such bite. <a id="paragraph-258056" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6509.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Violation of this section is a Class 3 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-258057" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6509.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2018, c. 678.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
