                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

SUBSEQUENT ATTACK OR BITE BY DANGEROUS DOG; PENALTY (§ 3.2-6540.04)

A. Any owner of an animal found to be a dangerous dog pursuant to § 3.2-6540,
when such finding arose out of a separate and distinct incident, is guilty of a:

   1. Class 2 misdemeanor if such dog attacks and injures or kills a cat or dog
   that is a companion animal belonging to another person; or

   2. Class 1 misdemeanor if such dog bites a human being or attacks a human
   being causing bodily injury.

B. 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 kennel, its offspring, a person, or its owner&#8217;s property, or
was a police dog engaged in the performance of its duties at the time of the
attack.

C. The court may determine that a person convicted under this section shall be
prohibited from owning, possessing, or residing on the same property with a dog.

HISTORY: 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 464.