{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/3.2-6583.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/3.2-6583.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/3.2-6583.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/3.2-6583.html"}],"law_id":358358,"edition_id":2,"section_id":358358,"structure_id":51246,"section_number":"3.2-6583","catch_line":"Hybrid canines killing, injuring or chasing livestock","history":"1997, c. 918, \u00a7 3.1-796.126:10; 1998, c. 817; 2008, cc. 551, 691, 860.","full_text":"It shall be the duty of any animal control officer or other officer who may find a hybrid canine in the act of killing or injuring livestock or poultry to kill such hybrid canine forthwith, whether such hybrid canine bears a tag or not. Any person finding a hybrid canine committing any of the depredations mentioned in this section may kill such hybrid canine on sight as may any owner of livestock or his agent finding a hybrid canine chasing livestock on land lawfully utilized by the livestock when the circumstances show that such chasing is harmful to the livestock. Any court may order the animal control officer or other officer to kill any hybrid canine known to be a confirmed livestock or poultry killer, and any hybrid canine that kills poultry for a third time shall be considered a confirmed poultry killer. The court, through its contempt powers, may compel the owner, custodian, or harborer of the hybrid canine to produce the hybrid canine.\n\nAny animal control officer who has reason to believe that any hybrid canine is killing livestock or poultry shall be empowered to seize such hybrid canine solely for the purpose of examining such hybrid canine in order to determine whether it committed any of the depredations mentioned herein. Any animal control officer or other person who has reason to believe that any hybrid canine is killing livestock, or committing any of the depredations mentioned in this section, shall apply to a magistrate serving the locality where such hybrid canine may be, who shall issue a warrant requiring the owner or custodian, if known, to appear before a general district court, at which time evidence shall be heard. If it appears that the hybrid canine is a livestock killer, or has committed any of the depredations mentioned in this section, the district court shall order that the hybrid canine be: (i) killed immediately by the animal control officer or other officer designated by the court; or (ii) removed to another state that does not border on the Commonwealth and prohibited from returning to the Commonwealth. Any hybrid canine ordered removed from the Commonwealth that is later found in the Commonwealth shall be ordered by a court to be killed immediately.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1333367,"text":"It shall be the duty of any animal control officer or other officer who may find a hybrid canine in the act of killing or injuring livestock or poultry to kill such hybrid canine forthwith, whether such hybrid canine bears a tag or not. Any person finding a hybrid canine committing any of the depredations mentioned in this section may kill such hybrid canine on sight as may any owner of livestock or his agent finding a hybrid canine chasing livestock on land lawfully utilized by the livestock when the circumstances show that such chasing is harmful to the livestock. Any court may order the animal control officer or other officer to kill any hybrid canine known to be a confirmed livestock or poultry killer, and any hybrid canine that kills poultry for a third time shall be considered a confirmed poultry killer. The court, through its contempt powers, may compel the owner, custodian, or harborer of the hybrid canine to produce the hybrid canine.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1333368,"text":"Any animal control officer who has reason to believe that any hybrid canine is killing livestock or poultry shall be empowered to seize such hybrid canine solely for the purpose of examining such hybrid canine in order to determine whether it committed any of the depredations mentioned herein. Any animal control officer or other person who has reason to believe that any hybrid canine is killing livestock, or committing any of the depredations mentioned in this section, shall apply to a magistrate serving the locality where such hybrid canine may be, who shall issue a warrant requiring the owner or custodian, if known, to appear before a general district court, at which time evidence shall be heard. If it appears that the hybrid canine is a livestock killer, or has committed any of the depredations mentioned in this section, the district court shall order that the hybrid canine be: (i) killed immediately by the animal control officer or other officer designated by the court; or (ii) removed to another state that does not border on the Commonwealth and prohibited from returning to the Commonwealth. Any hybrid canine ordered removed from the Commonwealth that is later found in the Commonwealth shall be ordered by a court to be killed immediately.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":51246,"edition_id":2,"name":"Hybrid Canines","identifier":"11","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":12,"parent_id":51234,"metadata":{"child_laws":4,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:39:46","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:46","permalink":{"id":1425511,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51246,"identifier":"11","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/11","url":"\/3.2\/V\/65\/11\/","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":358356,"structure_id":51246,"section_number":"3.2-6581","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/3.2-6581\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/11\/3.2-6581","metadata":false},{"id":358357,"structure_id":51246,"section_number":"3.2-6582","catch_line":"Hybrid canine ordinance; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6582\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/11\/3.2-6582","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":358358,"structure_id":51246,"section_number":"3.2-6583","catch_line":"Hybrid canines killing, injuring or chasing livestock","url":"\/3.2-6583\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/11\/3.2-6583","metadata":false},{"id":358359,"structure_id":51246,"section_number":"3.2-6584","catch_line":"Compensation for livestock and poultry killed by hybrid canines","url":"\/3.2-6584\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/11\/3.2-6584","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":358357,"structure_id":51246,"section_number":"3.2-6582","catch_line":"Hybrid canine ordinance; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6582\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/11\/3.2-6582","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},"next_section":{"id":358359,"structure_id":51246,"section_number":"3.2-6584","catch_line":"Compensation for livestock and poultry killed by hybrid canines","url":"\/3.2-6584\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/11\/3.2-6584","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-6583\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1997. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 918<\/a> 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. It has been modified 2 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 1998, chapter 817<\/a>; in 2008, chapters 551<\/a>, 691<\/a>, and 860<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1425521,"object_type":"law","relational_id":358358,"identifier":"3.2-6583","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/11\/3.2-6583","url":"\/3.2-6583\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-6583\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/11\/3.2-6583","dublin_core":{"Title":"Hybrid canines killing, injuring or chasing livestock","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-6583","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

It shall be the duty of any animal control officer<\/span> or other officer<\/span> who may find a hybrid canine<\/span> in the act of killing or injuring livestock<\/span> or poultry<\/span> to kill such hybrid canine<\/span> forthwith, whether such hybrid canine<\/span> bears a tag or not. Any person finding<\/span> a hybrid canine<\/span> committing any of the depredations mentioned in this section may kill such hybrid canine<\/span> on sight as may any owner<\/span> of livestock<\/span> or his agent finding<\/span> a hybrid canine<\/span> chasing livestock<\/span> on land lawfully utilized by the livestock<\/span> when the circumstances show that such chasing is harmful to the livestock<\/span>. Any court<\/span> may order<\/span> the animal control officer<\/span> or other officer<\/span> to kill any hybrid canine<\/span> known to be a confirmed livestock<\/span> or poultry<\/span> killer, and any hybrid canine<\/span> that kills poultry<\/span> for a third time shall be considered a confirmed poultry<\/span> killer. The court<\/span>, through its contempt<\/span> powers, may compel the owner<\/span>, custodian, or harborer of the hybrid canine<\/span> to produce the hybrid canine<\/span>.<\/p>

Any animal control officer<\/span> who has reason to believe that any hybrid canine<\/span> is killing livestock<\/span> or poultry<\/span> shall be empowered to seize such hybrid canine<\/span> solely for the purpose of examining such hybrid canine<\/span> in order<\/span> to determine whether it committed any of the depredations mentioned herein. Any animal control officer<\/span> or other person who has reason to believe that any hybrid canine<\/span> is killing livestock<\/span>, or committing any of the depredations mentioned in this section, shall apply to a magistrate<\/span> serving the locality where such hybrid canine<\/span> may be, who shall issue<\/span> a warrant requiring the owner<\/span> or custodian, if known, to appear before a general district court<\/span>, at which time evidence<\/span> shall be heard. If it appears that the hybrid canine<\/span> is a livestock<\/span> killer, or has committed any of the depredations mentioned in this section, the district court<\/span> shall order<\/span> that the hybrid canine<\/span> be: (i) killed immediately by the animal control officer<\/span> or other officer<\/span> designated by the court<\/span>; or (ii) removed to another state that does not border on the Commonwealth and prohibited from returning to the Commonwealth. Any hybrid canine<\/span> ordered removed from the Commonwealth that is later found in the Commonwealth shall be ordered by a court<\/span> to be killed immediately.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nHYBRID CANINES KILLING, INJURING OR CHASING LIVESTOCK (\u00a7 3.2-6583)\n\nIt shall be the duty of any animal control officer or other officer who may find\na hybrid canine in the act of killing or injuring livestock or poultry to kill\nsuch hybrid canine forthwith, whether such hybrid canine bears a tag or not. Any\nperson finding a hybrid canine committing any of the depredations mentioned in\nthis section may kill such hybrid canine on sight as may any owner of livestock\nor his agent finding a hybrid canine chasing livestock on land lawfully utilized\nby the livestock when the circumstances show that such chasing is harmful to the\nlivestock. Any court may order the animal control officer or other officer to\nkill any hybrid canine known to be a confirmed livestock or poultry killer, and\nany hybrid canine that kills poultry for a third time shall be considered a\nconfirmed poultry killer. The court, through its contempt powers, may compel the\nowner, custodian, or harborer of the hybrid canine to produce the hybrid canine.\n\nAny animal control officer who has reason to believe that any hybrid canine is\nkilling livestock or poultry shall be empowered to seize such hybrid canine\nsolely for the purpose of examining such hybrid canine in order to determine\nwhether it committed any of the depredations mentioned herein. Any animal\ncontrol officer or other person who has reason to believe that any hybrid canine\nis killing livestock, or committing any of the depredations mentioned in this\nsection, shall apply to a magistrate serving the locality where such hybrid\ncanine may be, who shall issue a warrant requiring the owner or custodian, if\nknown, to appear before a general district court, at which time evidence shall\nbe heard. If it appears that the hybrid canine is a livestock killer, or has\ncommitted any of the depredations mentioned in this section, the district court\nshall order that the hybrid canine be: (i) killed immediately by the animal\ncontrol officer or other officer designated by the court; or (ii) removed to\nanother state that does not border on the Commonwealth and prohibited from\nreturning to the Commonwealth. Any hybrid canine ordered removed from the\nCommonwealth that is later found in the Commonwealth shall be ordered by a court\nto be killed immediately.\n\nHISTORY: 1997, c. 918, \u00a7 3.1-796.126:10; 1998, c. 817; 2008, cc. 551, 691, 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"}}