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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>86958</law_id><section_number>3.2-6510</section_number><catch_line>Sale of unweaned or certain immature animals prohibited, vaccinations required for dogs and cats; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>18.2-403.2</reference></referred_to_by><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> No person shall sell, raffle, give away, or offer for sale as pets or novelties, or offer or give as a prize, premium, or advertising device any living chicks, ducklings, or other fowl under two months old in quantities of less than six or any unweaned mammalian <span class="dictionary">companion animal</span> or any dog or cat under the age of seven weeks without its dam or queen. <span class="dictionary">Dealers</span> may offer immature fowl, unweaned mammalian <span class="dictionary">companion animals</span>, dogs or cats under the age of seven weeks for sale as pets or novelties with the requirement that prospective <span class="dictionary">owners</span> take <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of the animals only after fowl have reached two months of age, mammalian <span class="dictionary">companion animals</span> have been <span class="dictionary">weaned</span>, and dogs and cats are at least seven weeks of age. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the sale, gift, or transfer of an unweaned animal: (i) as food for other animals; (ii) with the lactating dam or queen or a lactating surrogate dam or queen that has accepted the animal; (iii) due to a concern for the health or safety of the unweaned animal; or (iv) to animal control, a public or <span class="dictionary">private animal shelter</span>, or a veterinarian. <a id="paragraph-311341" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6510/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> <span class="dictionary">Dealers</span> shall provide all dogs and cats with current vaccinations against contagious and infectious diseases, as recommended in writing and considered appropriate for the animal&#x2019;s age and breed by a licensed veterinarian, or pursuant to written recommendations provided by the manufacturer of such vaccines at least five days before any <span class="dictionary">new owner</span> takes <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of the animal. For dogs, the vaccinations required by this subsection shall include at a minimum canine distemper, adenovirus type II parainfluenza, and parvovirus. For cats, the vaccinations required by this subsection shall include at a minimum rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia. <span class="dictionary">Dealers</span> shall provide the <span class="dictionary">new owner</span> with the dog&#x2019;s or cat&#x2019;s immunization history. <a id="paragraph-311342" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6510/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> A violation of this section is a Class 3 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-311343" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6510/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1984, c. 492, &#xA7; 29-213.40; 1987, c. 488, &#xA7; 3.1-796.70; 1993, c. 174; 1995, c. 625; 2006, c. 503; 2008, c. 860; 2014, c. 148.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
