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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>72939</law_id><section_number>3.2-6511.2</section_number><catch_line>Dealers; importation and sale of dogs and cats; penalty</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> No <span class="dictionary">dealer</span>, <span class="dictionary">commercial dog breeder</span>, or <span class="dictionary">cat breeder</span> shall import for sale, sell, or offer for sale, including sale for experimental purposes, any dog or cat bred by a person who has received from the U.S. <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Agriculture, pursuant to enforcement of the federal <span class="dictionary">Animal</span> Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. &#xA7; 2131 et seq.) or regulations adopted thereunder, (i) a <span class="dictionary">citation</span> for a direct or critical violation or <span class="dictionary">citations</span> for three or more indirect or noncritical violations for at least two years prior to the procurement of the dog or cat or (ii) two consecutive <span class="dictionary">citations</span> for no access to the <span class="dictionary">facility</span> prior to the procurement of the dog or cat. <a id="paragraph-262732" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6511.2/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> No person shall serve as an <span class="dictionary">owner</span>, director, officer, manager, operator, member of staff, or <span class="dictionary">animal</span> caregiver for a <span class="dictionary">dealer</span>, <span class="dictionary">commercial dog breeder</span>, or <span class="dictionary">cat breeder</span> if such person has been convicted of a violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Cruelty to animals; penalty" href="/3.2-6570/">3.2-6570</a>. <a id="paragraph-262733" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6511.2/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any person violating any provision of this section is guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> for each dog or cat imported, sold, or offered for sale. <a id="paragraph-262734" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6511.2/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> As used in this section, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">dealer</span>,&#x201D; &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">commercial dog breeder</span>,&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">cat breeder</span>&#x201D; includes any person or entity that breeds dogs or cats regulated under federal <span class="dictionary">law</span> as research <span class="dictionary">animals</span>. <a id="paragraph-262735" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6511.2/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2020, c. 569; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 339; 2022, cc. 94, 95.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
