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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>358358</law_id><section_number>3.2-6583</section_number><catch_line>Hybrid canines killing, injuring or chasing livestock</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="5" identifier="3.2">Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="5" identifier="V">Domestic Animals</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="5" identifier="65">Comprehensive Animal Care</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="12" identifier="11">Hybrid Canines</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>It shall be the duty of any <span class="dictionary">animal control officer</span> or <span class="dictionary">other officer</span> who may find a <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> in the act of killing or injuring <span class="dictionary">livestock</span> or <span class="dictionary">poultry</span> to kill such <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> forthwith, whether such <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> bears a tag or not. Any person <span class="dictionary">finding</span> a <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> committing any of the depredations mentioned in this section may kill such <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> on sight as may any <span class="dictionary">owner</span> of <span class="dictionary">livestock</span> or his agent <span class="dictionary">finding</span> a <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> chasing <span class="dictionary">livestock</span> on land lawfully utilized by the <span class="dictionary">livestock</span> when the circumstances show that such chasing is harmful to the <span class="dictionary">livestock</span>. Any <span class="dictionary">court</span> may <span class="dictionary">order</span> the <span class="dictionary">animal control officer</span> or <span class="dictionary">other officer</span> to kill any <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> known to be a confirmed <span class="dictionary">livestock</span> or <span class="dictionary">poultry</span> killer, and any <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> that kills <span class="dictionary">poultry</span> for a third time shall be considered a confirmed <span class="dictionary">poultry</span> killer. The <span class="dictionary">court</span>, through its <span class="dictionary">contempt</span> powers, may compel the <span class="dictionary">owner</span>, custodian, or harborer of the <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> to produce the <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span>.</p><p>Any <span class="dictionary">animal control officer</span> who has reason to believe that any <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> is killing <span class="dictionary">livestock</span> or <span class="dictionary">poultry</span> shall be empowered to seize such <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> solely for the purpose of examining such <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to determine whether it committed any of the depredations mentioned herein. Any <span class="dictionary">animal control officer</span> or other person who has reason to believe that any <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> is killing <span class="dictionary">livestock</span>, or committing any of the depredations mentioned in this section, shall apply to a <span class="dictionary">magistrate</span> serving the locality where such <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> may be, who shall <span class="dictionary">issue</span> a warrant requiring the <span class="dictionary">owner</span> or custodian, if known, to appear before a general district <span class="dictionary">court</span>, at which time <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> shall be heard. If it appears that the <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> is a <span class="dictionary">livestock</span> killer, or has committed any of the depredations mentioned in this section, the district <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall <span class="dictionary">order</span> that the <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> be: (i) killed immediately by the <span class="dictionary">animal control officer</span> or <span class="dictionary">other officer</span> designated by the <span class="dictionary">court</span>; or (ii) removed to another state that does not border on the Commonwealth and prohibited from returning to the Commonwealth. Any <span class="dictionary">hybrid canine</span> ordered removed from the Commonwealth that is later found in the Commonwealth shall be ordered by a <span class="dictionary">court</span> to be killed immediately.</p></section></text><history>1997, c. 918, &#xA7; 3.1-796.126:10; 1998, c. 817; 2008, cc. 551, 691, 860.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
