{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/3.2-6588.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/3.2-6588.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/3.2-6588.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/3.2-6588.html"}],"law_id":358364,"edition_id":2,"section_id":358364,"structure_id":51247,"section_number":"3.2-6588","catch_line":"Intentional interference with a guide or leader dog; penalty","history":"1995, c. 209, \u00a7 3.1-796.128:1; 2008, c. 860; 2023, cc. 148, 149.","full_text":"A\n\nIt is unlawful for a person to, without just cause, willfully impede or interfere with the duties performed by a dog if the person knows or has reason to believe the dog is a guide or leader dog. A violation of this subsection is a Class 3 misdemeanor.\n\nB\n\nIt is unlawful for a person to, without just cause, willfully injure a dog if the person knows or has reason to believe the dog is a guide or leader dog. A violation of this subsection is a Class 1 misdemeanor.\n\t\t\t“Guide or leader dog” means a dog that: (i) serves as a dog guide for a blind person as defined in § 51.5-60 or for a person with a visual disability; (ii) serves as a listener for a deaf or hard-of-hearing person as defined in § 51.5-111; or (iii) provides support or assistance for an individual with a physical disability.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1333390,"text":"It is unlawful for a person to, without just cause, willfully impede or interfere with the duties performed by a dog if the person knows or has reason to believe the dog is a guide or leader dog. A violation of this subsection is a Class 3 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1333391,"text":"It is unlawful for a person to, without just cause, willfully injure a dog if the person knows or has reason to believe the dog is a guide or leader dog. A violation of this subsection is a Class 1 misdemeanor.\n\t\t\t“Guide or leader dog” means a dog that: (i) serves as a dog guide for a blind person as defined in § 51.5-60 or for a person with a visual disability; (ii) serves as a listener for a deaf or hard-of-hearing person as defined in § 51.5-111; or (iii) provides support or assistance for an individual with a physical disability.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":51247,"edition_id":2,"name":"Miscellaneous Provisions","identifier":"12","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":11,"parent_id":51234,"metadata":{"child_laws":8,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:39:47","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:46","permalink":{"id":1425529,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51247,"identifier":"12","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/12","url":"\/3.2\/V\/65\/12\/","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":358361,"structure_id":51247,"section_number":"3.2-6585","catch_line":"Dogs and cats deemed personal property; rights relating thereto","url":"\/3.2-6585\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/12\/3.2-6585","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners, LLC v. Kristine Anderson","case_number":"1180221","citation":null,"date":"2023-07-11","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/9412555\/blue-pearl-veterinary-partners-llc-v-kristine-anderson\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"COA<\/abbr>"}}}},{"id":358360,"structure_id":51247,"section_number":"3.2-6585.1","catch_line":"Duty to identify; scanning for microchip","url":"\/3.2-6585.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/12\/3.2-6585.1","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":358362,"structure_id":51247,"section_number":"3.2-6586","catch_line":"Dog injuring or killing other companion animals","url":"\/3.2-6586\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/12\/3.2-6586","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}},{"id":358363,"structure_id":51247,"section_number":"3.2-6587","catch_line":"Unlawful acts; penalties","url":"\/3.2-6587\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/12\/3.2-6587","metadata":false},{"id":358364,"structure_id":51247,"section_number":"3.2-6588","catch_line":"Intentional interference with a guide or leader dog; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6588\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/12\/3.2-6588","metadata":false},{"id":358366,"structure_id":51247,"section_number":"3.2-6589","catch_line":"Selling garments containing dog or cat fur prohibited; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6589\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/12\/3.2-6589","metadata":false},{"id":358365,"structure_id":51247,"section_number":"3.2-6589.1","catch_line":"Certain training devices for elephants prohibited; attachment; civil penalty","url":"\/3.2-6589.1\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/12\/3.2-6589.1","metadata":false},{"id":358367,"structure_id":51247,"section_number":"3.2-6590","catch_line":"Jurisdiction of general district courts; right of appeal","url":"\/3.2-6590\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/12\/3.2-6590","metadata":{"court_decisions":""}}],"previous_section":{"id":358363,"structure_id":51247,"section_number":"3.2-6587","catch_line":"Unlawful acts; penalties","url":"\/3.2-6587\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/12\/3.2-6587","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":358366,"structure_id":51247,"section_number":"3.2-6589","catch_line":"Selling garments containing dog or cat fur prohibited; penalty","url":"\/3.2-6589\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/12\/3.2-6589","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-6588\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1995. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 209<\/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 2008, chapter 860<\/a>; in 2023, chapters 148<\/a> and 149<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":358273,"section_number":"3.2-6513.2","catch_line":"Rental or lease of dog or cat prohibited; requirements for financing a dog or cat; civil penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-6513.2\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":367228,"section_number":"51.5-111","catch_line":"Persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing defined and categorized","order_by":null,"url":"\/51.5-111\/"},{"id":367337,"section_number":"51.5-60","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/51.5-60\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1425547,"object_type":"law","relational_id":358364,"identifier":"3.2-6588","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/12\/3.2-6588","url":"\/3.2-6588\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-6588\/","token":"3.2\/V\/65\/12\/3.2-6588","dublin_core":{"Title":"Intentional interference with a guide or leader dog; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-6588","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> It is unlawful for a person to, without just cause, willfully impede or interfere with the duties performed by a dog if the person knows or has reason to believe the dog is a guide or leader dog<\/span>. A violation of this subsection is a Class 3 misdemeanor<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> It is unlawful for a person to, without just cause, willfully injure a dog if the person knows or has reason to believe the dog is a guide or leader dog<\/span>. A violation of this subsection is a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span>.\n\t\t\t“Guide or leader dog<\/span>” means a dog that: (i) serves as a dog guide for a blind person as defined in § 51.5-60<\/a> or for a person with a visual disability; (ii) serves as a listener for a deaf or hard-of-hearing<\/span> person as defined in § 51.5-111<\/a>; or (iii) provides support or assistance for an individual with a physical disability. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nINTENTIONAL INTERFERENCE WITH A GUIDE OR LEADER DOG; PENALTY (\u00a7 3.2-6588)\n\nA. It is unlawful for a person to, without just cause, willfully impede or\ninterfere with the duties performed by a dog if the person knows or has reason\nto believe the dog is a guide or leader dog. A violation of this subsection is a\nClass 3 misdemeanor.\n\nB. It is unlawful for a person to, without just cause, willfully injure a dog if\nthe person knows or has reason to believe the dog is a guide or leader dog. A\nviolation of this subsection is a Class 1 misdemeanor.\n\t\t\t“Guide or leader dog” means a dog that: (i) serves as a dog guide\nfor a blind person as defined in § 51.5-60 or for a person with a visual\ndisability; (ii) serves as a listener for a deaf or hard-of-hearing person as\ndefined in § 51.5-111; or (iii) provides support or assistance for an\nindividual with a physical disability.\n\nHISTORY: 1995, c. 209, \u00a7 3.1-796.128:1; 2008, c. 860; 2023, cc. 148, 149.","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"}}