{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/3.2-6563.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/3.2-6563.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/3.2-6563.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/3.2-6563.html"}],"law_id":358336,"edition_id":2,"section_id":358336,"structure_id":51242,"section_number":"3.2-6563","catch_line":"When animals to be euthanized; procedure","history":"1984, c. 492, \u00a7 29-213.83; 1986, c. 362; 1987, c. 488, \u00a7 3.1-796.114; 1998, c. 817; 2008, c. 860.","full_text":"Any humane investigator may lawfully cause to be euthanized any animal in his charge or found abandoned or not properly cared for when, in the judgment of the humane investigator and two reputable citizens called to view the same in his presence, and who shall give their written certificate, the animal appears to be injured, disabled or diseased, past recovery, or the injury, disease or disability is such that a reasonable owner would cause the animal to be euthanized.\n\nAny humane investigator shall make every reasonable effort immediately to notify the owner of the animal that the humane investigator intends for the animal to be euthanized. The owner shall have a right to select one of the two reputable citizens called to view the animal and give written certificate of the animal’s condition. In no event shall the determination as to disposition of the animal be delayed beyond 48 hours after such humane investigator first decides the animal should be euthanized. In the event that the two citizens called to give such certificate are unable to agree, they shall select a third reputable citizen and his decision shall be final.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1333279,"text":"Any humane investigator may lawfully cause to be euthanized any animal in his charge or found abandoned or not properly cared for when, in the judgment of the humane investigator and two reputable citizens called to view the same in his presence, and who shall give their written certificate, the animal appears to be injured, disabled or diseased, past recovery, or the injury, disease or disability is such that a reasonable owner would cause the animal to be euthanized.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1333280,"text":"Any humane investigator shall make every reasonable effort immediately to notify the owner of the animal that the humane investigator intends for the animal to be euthanized. The owner shall have a right to select one of the two reputable citizens called to view the animal and give written certificate of the animal’s condition. In no event shall the determination as to disposition of the animal be delayed beyond 48 hours after such humane investigator first decides the animal should be euthanized. In the event that the two citizens called to give such certificate are unable to agree, they shall select a third reputable citizen and his decision shall be final.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":51242,"edition_id":2,"name":"Animal Control Officers and Humane Investigators","identifier":"7","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":8,"parent_id":51234,"metadata":{"child_laws":11,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:39:43","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:45","permalink":{"id":1425923,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51242,"identifier":"7","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7","url":"\/3.2\/V\/65\/7\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51234,"edition_id":2,"name":"Comprehensive Animal Care","identifier":"65","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":5,"parent_id":51220,"metadata":{"child_laws":132,"child_structures":15},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:39:34","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:44","permalink":{"id":1425461,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51234,"identifier":"65","token":"3.2\/V\/65","url":"\/3.2\/V\/65\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51220,"edition_id":2,"name":"Domestic Animals","identifier":"V","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":5,"parent_id":51103,"metadata":{"child_laws":207,"child_structures":28},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:39:26","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:43","permalink":{"id":1425135,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51220,"identifier":"V","token":"3.2\/V","url":"\/3.2\/V\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51103,"edition_id":2,"name":"Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food","identifier":"3.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":5,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":1194,"child_structures":151},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:37:33","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:27","permalink":{"id":1420941,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51103,"identifier":"3.2","token":"3.2","url":"\/3.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":358326,"structure_id":51242,"section_number":"3.2-6555","catch_line":"Position of animal control officer created","url":"\/3.2-6555\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6555","metadata":false},{"id":358327,"structure_id":51242,"section_number":"3.2-6556","catch_line":"Training of animal control officers","url":"\/3.2-6556\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6556","metadata":false},{"id":358328,"structure_id":51242,"section_number":"3.2-6557","catch_line":"Animal control officers and humane investigators; limitations; records; penalties","url":"\/3.2-6557\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6557","metadata":false},{"id":358329,"structure_id":51242,"section_number":"3.2-6558","catch_line":"Humane investigators; qualifications; appointment; term","url":"\/3.2-6558\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6558","metadata":false},{"id":358330,"structure_id":51242,"section_number":"3.2-6559","catch_line":"Powers and duties of humane investigators","url":"\/3.2-6559\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6559","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":358331,"structure_id":51242,"section_number":"3.2-6560","catch_line":"Expenses of humane investigators","url":"\/3.2-6560\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6560","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":358332,"structure_id":51242,"section_number":"3.2-6561","catch_line":"Revocation of appointment of humane investigators","url":"\/3.2-6561\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6561","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":358335,"structure_id":51242,"section_number":"3.2-6562","catch_line":"Capturing, confining, and euthanizing companion animals by animal control officers; approval of drugs used","url":"\/3.2-6562\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6562","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Toni Sue Stacey v. Commonwealth of Virginia","case_number":"1099192","citation":null,"date":"2021-03-09","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/4862145\/toni-sue-stacey-v-commonwealth-of-virginia\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"COA<\/abbr>"}}}},{"id":358333,"structure_id":51242,"section_number":"3.2-6562.1","catch_line":"Rabies exposure; local authority and responsibility plan","url":"\/3.2-6562.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6562.1","metadata":false},{"id":358334,"structure_id":51242,"section_number":"3.2-6562.2","catch_line":"Rabies exposure reports","url":"\/3.2-6562.2\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6562.2","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":358336,"structure_id":51242,"section_number":"3.2-6563","catch_line":"When animals to be euthanized; procedure","url":"\/3.2-6563\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6563","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":358334,"structure_id":51242,"section_number":"3.2-6562.2","catch_line":"Rabies exposure reports","url":"\/3.2-6562.2\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6562.2","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-6563\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1984. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 492 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1984 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1986, chapter 362; in 1987, chapter 488; in 1998, chapter 817<\/a>; in 2008, chapter 860<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1425965,"object_type":"law","relational_id":358336,"identifier":"3.2-6563","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6563","url":"\/3.2-6563\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-6563\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/7\/3.2-6563","dublin_core":{"Title":"When animals to be euthanized; procedure","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-6563","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Any humane investigator<\/span> may lawfully cause to be euthanized any animal<\/span> in his charge or found abandoned or not properly cared for when, in the judgment<\/span> of the humane investigator<\/span> and two reputable citizens called to view the same in his presence, and who shall give their written certificate, the animal<\/span> appears to be injured, disabled or diseased, past recovery, or the injury, disease or disability is such that a reasonable owner<\/span> would cause the animal<\/span> to be euthanized.<\/p>

Any humane investigator<\/span> shall make every reasonable effort immediately to notify the owner<\/span> of the animal<\/span> that the humane investigator<\/span> intends for the animal<\/span> to be euthanized. The owner<\/span> shall have a right to select one of the two reputable citizens called to view the animal<\/span> and give written certificate of the animal<\/span>’s condition. In no event shall the determination as to disposition<\/span> of the animal<\/span> be delayed beyond 48 hours after such humane investigator<\/span> first decides the animal<\/span> should be euthanized. In the event that the two citizens called to give such certificate are unable to agree, they shall select a third reputable citizen and his decision shall be final.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nWHEN ANIMALS TO BE EUTHANIZED; PROCEDURE (\u00a7 3.2-6563)\n\nAny humane investigator may lawfully cause to be euthanized any animal in his\ncharge or found abandoned or not properly cared for when, in the judgment of the\nhumane investigator and two reputable citizens called to view the same in his\npresence, and who shall give their written certificate, the animal appears to be\ninjured, disabled or diseased, past recovery, or the injury, disease or\ndisability is such that a reasonable owner would cause the animal to be\neuthanized.\n\nAny humane investigator shall make every reasonable effort immediately to notify\nthe owner of the animal that the humane investigator intends for the animal to\nbe euthanized. The owner shall have a right to select one of the two reputable\ncitizens called to view the animal and give written certificate of the\nanimal’s condition. In no event shall the determination as to disposition\nof the animal be delayed beyond 48 hours after such humane investigator first\ndecides the animal should be euthanized. In the event that the two citizens\ncalled to give such certificate are unable to agree, they shall select a third\nreputable citizen and his decision shall be final.\n\nHISTORY: 1984, c. 492, \u00a7 29-213.83; 1986, c. 362; 1987, c. 488, \u00a7 3.1-796.114;\n1998, c. 817; 2008, c. 860.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}