                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

HUMANE INVESTIGATORS; QUALIFICATIONS; APPOINTMENT; TERM (§ 3.2-6558)

A. A circuit court may reappoint any person as a humane investigator for any
locality within its jurisdiction if the person:

   1. Was appointed as a humane investigator prior to July 1, 2003; and

   2. Has never been convicted of animal cruelty or neglect, any felony, or any
   crime of moral turpitude according to a criminal background check, which shall
   be performed by the attorney for the Commonwealth at the expense of the person
   seeking the appointment.

B. A circuit court may appoint a person to fill a vacancy in that jurisdiction
created when a humane investigator who was appointed prior to July 1, 2003, is
no longer willing or eligible to be a humane investigator, provided the person
seeking appointment:

   1. Has received a written recommendation from the administrative entity that
   oversees animal control in the locality where the humane investigator seeks
   appointment;

   2. Has never been convicted of animal cruelty or neglect, any felony, or any
   crime of moral turpitude according to a criminal background check, which shall
   be performed by the attorney for the Commonwealth at the expense of the person
   seeking the appointment; and

   3. Has completed a basic animal control course approved by the State
   Veterinarian pursuant to &#xA7; 3.2-6556.

C. A person residing outside the Commonwealth may be appointed as a humane
investigator only if he is employed by a humane society located within the
locality where he is seeking appointment.

D. Reappointments of humane investigators shall be for terms of three years.
Each humane investigator shall, during each term for which he is appointed,
complete 15 hours of training in animal care and protection approved for animal
control officers. If a humane investigator is appointed to a succeeding term
before or within 30 days after his current term expires, a criminal background
check shall not be required. If a humane investigator&#8217;s term expires and
he is not appointed to a succeeding term before or within 30 days after his
current term expires, the humane investigator shall not be appointed to another
term.

HISTORY: 1984, c. 492, § 29-213.75; 1987, c. 488, § 3.1-796.106; 1998, c. 817;
2003, c. 858; 2004, c. 181; 2008, c. 860.