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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>71254</law_id><section_number>3.2-6588</section_number><catch_line>Intentional interference with a guide or leader dog; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>3.2-6513.2</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="12">Miscellaneous Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> It is unlawful for a person to, without just cause, willfully impede or interfere with the duties performed by a dog if the person knows or has reason to believe the dog is a <span class="dictionary">guide or leader dog</span>. A violation of this subsection is a Class 3 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-256826" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6588/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> It is unlawful for a person to, without just cause, willfully injure a dog if the person knows or has reason to believe the dog is a <span class="dictionary">guide or leader dog</span>. A violation of this subsection is a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Guide or leader dog</span>&#x201D; means a dog that: (i) serves as a dog guide for a blind person as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/51.5-60/">51.5-60</a> or for a person with a visual disability; (ii) serves as a listener for a deaf or hard-of-<span class="dictionary">hearing</span> person as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing defined and categorized" href="/51.5-111/">51.5-111</a>; or (iii) provides support or assistance for an individual with a physical disability. <a id="paragraph-256827" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/3.2-6588/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1995, c. 209, &#xA7; 3.1-796.128:1; 2008, c. 860; 2023, cc. 148, 149.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
