                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

DUTY TO IDENTIFY; SCANNING FOR MICROCHIP (§ 3.2-6585.1)

Any veterinarian, public or private animal shelter, or releasing agency that
releases or receives companion animals for adoption or is authorized to
euthanize companion animals shall seek to identify the lawful owner of each
unidentified companion animal submitted to it, including, for any weaned
companion animal that may be safely handled, making a reasonable attempt to scan
the animal for an embedded microchip at the time of intake, at the time of
assessment, and prior to disposition. If a chip is detected, the veterinarian,
shelter, or agency shall make every reasonable effort to contact the owner by
the most expedient method available. Such veterinarian, shelter, or agency shall
maintain documentation for at least 30 days from the date of the final
disposition of the animal that includes the reason an animal could not be
scanned, any scanning that located or failed to locate a microchip, whether a
located microchip was registered to an owner, and any attempt to contact any
owner. Veterinarians shall notify the local public shelter, in compliance with
§ 3.2-6551, when taking possession of a stray animal. The requirements of this
section shall not apply to the transfer of animals between veterinarians, public
or private animal shelters, or releasing agencies.

HISTORY: 2022, c. 387.