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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>76550</law_id><section_number>3.2-6540.03</section_number><catch_line>Violation of law by owner of dangerous dog; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>3.2-6540</reference><reference>3.2-6540.02</reference><reference>3.2-6542.1</reference><reference>3.2-6542.2</reference><reference>3.2-6543.1</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="6">Authority of Local Governing Bodies</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> If an <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of an animal previously found to be a dangerous dog pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Dangerous dogs; investigation, summons, and hearing" href="/3.2-6540/">3.2-6540</a> is charged with a violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Dangerous dogs; investigation, summons, and hearing" href="/3.2-6540/">3.2-6540</a>, <a class="law" title="Obligations of officer and owner following dangerous dog finding" href="/3.2-6540.01/">3.2-6540.01</a>, <a class="law" title="Notice of dangerous dog finding; penalty" href="/3.2-6540.02/">3.2-6540.02</a>, or <a class="law" title="Subsequent attack or bite by dangerous dog; penalty" href="/3.2-6540.04/">3.2-6540.04</a>, the <span class="dictionary">animal control officer</span> shall confine the dangerous dog until such time as <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> shall be heard and a <span class="dictionary">verdict</span> rendered pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Dangerous dogs; investigation, summons, and hearing" href="/3.2-6540/">3.2-6540</a>. Unless good cause is determined by the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, such evidentiary <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> shall be held within 30 days or as soon as practicable of the issuance of the <span class="dictionary">summons</span>. The <span class="dictionary">court</span>, through its <span class="dictionary">contempt</span> powers, may compel the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of the animal to produce the animal. <a id="paragraph-274799" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6540.03/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Upon <span class="dictionary">conviction</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may (i) <span class="dictionary">order</span> the dangerous dog to be disposed of by a local governing body pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Capturing, confining, and euthanizing companion animals by animal control officers; approval of drugs used" href="/3.2-6562/">3.2-6562</a> or (ii) grant the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> up to 30 days to comply with the requirements of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Obligations of officer and owner following dangerous dog finding" href="/3.2-6540.01/">3.2-6540.01</a>, during which time the dangerous dog shall remain in the <span class="dictionary">custody</span> of the <span class="dictionary">animal control officer</span> until compliance has been verified. If the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> fails to achieve compliance within the time specified by the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall <span class="dictionary">order</span> the dangerous dog to be disposed of by a local governing body pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Capturing, confining, and euthanizing companion animals by animal control officers; approval of drugs used" href="/3.2-6562/">3.2-6562</a>. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> may <span class="dictionary">order</span> the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> to pay all reasonable expenses incurred in caring and providing for such dangerous dog from the time the animal is taken into <span class="dictionary">custody</span> until such time that the animal is disposed of or returned to the <span class="dictionary">owner</span>. <a id="paragraph-274800" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6540.03/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of a dangerous dog who is charged with a violation pursuant to subsection A and is found to have willfully failed to comply with the requirements of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Dangerous dogs; investigation, summons, and hearing" href="/3.2-6540/">3.2-6540</a>, <a class="law" title="Obligations of officer and owner following dangerous dog finding" href="/3.2-6540.01/">3.2-6540.01</a>, <a class="law" title="Notice of dangerous dog finding; penalty" href="/3.2-6540.02/">3.2-6540.02</a>, or <a class="law" title="Subsequent attack or bite by dangerous dog; penalty" href="/3.2-6540.04/">3.2-6540.04</a> is guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> may determine that a person convicted under this subsection shall be prohibited from owning, possessing, or residing on the same property with a dog. <a id="paragraph-274801" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6540.03/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 464; 2024, c. 145.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
