                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

COMPENSATION FOR LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY KILLED BY DOGS (§ 3.2-6553)

Any person who has any livestock or poultry killed or injured by any dog not his
own shall be entitled to receive as compensation the fair market value of such
livestock or poultry not to exceed $1,000 per animal or $25 per fowl if (i) the
claimant has furnished evidence within 60 days of discovery of the quantity and
value of the dead or injured livestock and the reasons the claimant believes
that death or injury was caused by a dog; (ii) the animal control officer or
other officer shall have been notified of the incident within 72 hours of its
discovery; and (iii) the claimant first has exhausted his legal remedies against
the owner, if known, of the dog doing the damage for which compensation under
this section is sought. Exhaustion shall mean a judgment against the owner of
the dog upon which an execution has been returned unsatisfied.
		Local jurisdictions may by ordinance waive the requirements of clause (ii) or
(iii) or both provided that the ordinance adopted requires that the animal
control officer has conducted an investigation and that his investigation
supports the claim. Upon payment under this section, the local governing body
shall be subrogated to the extent of compensation paid to the right of action to
the owner of the livestock or poultry against the owner of the dog and may
enforce the same in an appropriate action at law.

HISTORY: 1984, c. 492, § 29-213.87; 1986, c. 108; 1987, c. 488, § 3.1-796.118;
1992, c. 461; 1998, c. 817; 2008, c. 860; 2014, cc. 116, 160; 2025, c. 319.