                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

ESTABLISHMENT OF DANGEROUS DOG REGISTRY (§ 3.2-6542)

A. The Commissioner shall establish the Virginia Dangerous Dog Registry to be
maintained by the Department. The State Veterinarian shall maintain information
provided and posted by animal control officers or other such officials statewide
on a website. All information collected for the Dangerous Dog Registry shall be
available to animal control officers via the website. The website list shall be
known as the Virginia Dangerous Dog Registry.

B. Registration information shall include the name of the animal, a photograph,
sex, age, weight, primary breed, secondary breed, color and markings, whether
spayed or neutered, the acts that resulted in the dog being designated as
dangerous and associated trial docket information, microchip or tattoo number,
address where the animal is maintained, name of the owner, address of the owner,
telephone numbers of the owner, and a statement that the owner has complied with
the provisions of the dangerous dog order. The address of the owner along with
the name and breed of the dangerous dog, the acts that resulted in the dog being
found dangerous, and information necessary to access court records of the
adjudication shall be available to the general public. If the dangerous dog is
moved to a different location or contact information for the owner changes in
any way at any time, the owner shall submit a renewal containing the address of
the new location or other updated information within 10 days of such move or
change to an animal control officer or other such official for the new location.
There shall be no charge for any updated information provided between renewals.

C. Each county or city shall submit to the State Veterinarian by January 31 of
each year $90 for each dangerous dog it initially registered and $25 for each
dangerous dog for which it renewed registration within the previous calendar
year. Any funds collected pursuant to this section shall be used by the State
Veterinarian to maintain the registry and website.

D. Actions of the Department relating to the establishment, operation, and
maintenance of the Virginia Dangerous Dog Registry under this section or &#xA7;
3.2-6542.1 shall be exempt from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act
(&#xA7; 2.2-4000 et seq.).

E. Copies of all records, documents, and other papers pertaining to the
Dangerous Dog Registry that are duly certified and authenticated in writing on
the face of such documents to be true copies by the State Veterinarian or the
Dangerous Dog Registry administrator shall be received as evidence with like
effect as the original records, documents, or other papers in all courts of the
Commonwealth.

HISTORY: 2006, cc. 837, 864, 898, § 3.1-796.93:3; 2008, c. 860; 2009, c. 354;
2012, cc. 107, 236; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 464.