                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

TRAINING OF ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS (§ 3.2-6556)

A. Every locality employing animal control officers shall require that every
animal control officer and deputy animal control officer completes the following
training:

   1. A basic animal control course that has been approved by the State
   Veterinarian. The basic animal control course shall include training in
   recognizing suspected child abuse and neglect and information on how
   complaints may be filed and shall be approved and implemented. Any animal
   control officer hired on or after July 1, 1998, and before July 1, 2017, shall
   complete the basic animal control course within two years from the date of
   hire. Any animal control officer hired on or after July 1, 2017, shall
   complete the basic animal control course within one year from the date of hire
   or within two years if the officer is attending a law-enforcement academy; and

   2. Every three years, additional training approved by the State Veterinarian,
   15 hours of which shall be training in animal control and protection.
   				The State Veterinarian shall develop criteria to be used in approving
   training courses and shall provide an opportunity for public comment on
   proposed criteria before the final criteria are adopted.
   				Subdivision 1 shall not apply to animal control officers or deputy animal
   control officers hired before July 1, 1998. The State Veterinarian may grant
   exemptions from the requirements of subdivision 1 to animal control officers
   hired on or after July 1, 1998, based on the animal control officer&#8217;s
   previous training.
   				The State Veterinarian shall work to ensure the availability of these
   training courses through regional criminal justice training academies or other
   entities as approved by him. Based on information provided by authorized
   training entities, the State Veterinarian shall maintain the training records
   for all animal control officers for the purpose of documenting and ensuring
   that they are in compliance with this subsection.

B. Upon cause shown by a locality, the State Veterinarian may grant additional
time during which the training required by subsection A may be completed by an
animal control officer for the locality.

C. Any animal control officer that fails to complete the training required by
subsection A shall be removed from office, unless the State Veterinarian has
granted additional time as provided in subsection B.

HISTORY: 1998, c. 817, § 3.1-796.104:1; 2002, c. 418; 2004, c. 181; 2008, c.
860; 2016, cc. 60, 172.