2006 Code of Virginia § 3.1-796.126:10 - Hybrid canines killing, injuring or chasing livestock

3.1-796.126:10. Hybrid canines killing, injuring or chasing livestock.

It shall be the duty of any animal control officer or other officer who mayfind a hybrid canine in the act of killing or injuring livestock or poultryto kill such hybrid canine forthwith, whether such hybrid canine bears a tagor not. Any person finding a hybrid canine committing any of the depredationsmentioned in this section shall have the right to kill such hybrid canine onsight as shall any owner of livestock or his agent finding a hybrid caninechasing livestock on land lawfully utilized by the livestock when thecircumstances show that such chasing is harmful to the livestock. Any courtshall have the power to order the animal control officer or other officer tokill any hybrid canine known to be a confirmed livestock or poultry killer,and any hybrid canine killing poultry for the third time shall be considereda confirmed poultry killer. The court, through its contempt powers, maycompel the owner, custodian, or harborer of the hybrid canine to produce thehybrid canine.

Any animal control officer who has reason to believe that any hybrid canineis killing livestock or poultry shall be empowered to seize such hybridcanine solely for the purpose of examining such hybrid canine in order todetermine whether it committed any of the depredations mentioned herein. Anyanimal control officer or other person who has reason to believe that anyhybrid canine is killing livestock, or committing any of the depredationsmentioned in this section, shall apply to a magistrate for the county, cityor town wherein such hybrid canine may be, who shall issue a warrantrequiring the owner or custodian, if known, to appear before a generaldistrict court at a time and place named therein, at which time evidenceshall be heard. If it appears that the hybrid canine is a livestock killer,or has committed any of the depredations mentioned in this section, thedistrict court shall order that the hybrid canine be (i) killed immediatelyby the animal control officer or other officer designated by the court or(ii) removed to another state which does not border on the Commonwealth andprohibited from returning to the Commonwealth. Any hybrid canine orderedremoved from the Commonwealth which is later found in the Commonwealth shallbe ordered by a court to be killed immediately.

(1997, c. 918; 1998, c. 817.)