<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>351104</law_id><section_number>18.2-52.2</section_number><catch_line>Animal attack resulting from owner&amp;#8217;s disregard for human life; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="52" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="4" identifier="4">Crimes Against the Person</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="6" identifier="4">Assaults and Bodily Woundings</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any owner of an animal is guilty of a Class 6 <span class="dictionary">felony</span> if his willful act or omission in the care, control, or containment of such animal is so gross, wanton, and culpable as to show a reckless disregard for human life and is the proximate cause of such animal attacking and causing serious bodily injury to any person. <a id="paragraph-1307613" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-52.2/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The provisions of subsection A shall not apply to any animal that at the time of the act complained of was responding to pain or injury, was protecting itself, its kennel, its offspring, a person, or its owner&#x2019;s property, or was a police dog engaged in the performance of its duties at the time of the attack. <a id="paragraph-1307614" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-52.2/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The <span class="dictionary">court</span> may determine that a person convicted under this section shall be prohibited from owning, possessing, or residing on the same property with an animal of the type that led to such <span class="dictionary">conviction</span>. <a id="paragraph-1307615" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-52.2/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 464.</history><metadata><court_decisions><item key="0"><name>Floyd v. Commonwealth</name><case_number>2427981</case_number><citation>522 S.E.2d 382</citation><date>1999-12-21</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1066030/floyd-v-commonwealth/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 522 S.E.2d 382 (1999) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item></court_decisions></metadata></law>
