<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>54186</law_id><section_number>3.2-6540.04</section_number><catch_line>Subsequent attack or bite by 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>3.2-6540.03</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> Any <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of an <span class="dictionary">animal</span> found to be a dangerous dog pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Dangerous dogs; investigation, summons, and hearing" href="/3.2-6540/">3.2-6540</a>, when such <span class="dictionary">finding</span> arose out of a separate and distinct incident, is guilty of a: <a id="paragraph-198900" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6540.04/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Class 2 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> if such dog attacks and injures or kills a cat or dog that is a <span class="dictionary">companion animal</span> belonging to another person; or <a id="paragraph-198901" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6540.04/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> if such dog bites a human being or attacks a human being causing bodily injury. <a id="paragraph-198902" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6540.04/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The provisions of subsection A shall not apply to any animal that at the time of the act complained of was responding to pain or injury, was protecting itself, its <span class="dictionary">kennel</span>, its offspring, a person, or its <span class="dictionary">owner</span>&#x2019;s property, or was a police dog engaged in the performance of its duties at the time of the attack. <a id="paragraph-198903" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6540.04/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The <span class="dictionary">court</span> may determine that a person convicted under this section shall be prohibited from owning, possessing, or residing on the same property with a dog. <a id="paragraph-198904" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6540.04/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 464.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
