2006 Code of Virginia § 3.1-796.94:1 - Regulation of keeping of animals and fowl

3.1-796.94:1. Regulation of keeping of animals and fowl.

A. Any county may, whenever, in the judgment of the board of supervisors, thesame is necessary for the preservation of public health, regulate byordinance the keeping of animals or fowl, other than dogs and cats, within acertain distance of residences or other buildings or wells, springs, streams,creeks, or brooks, and provide that all or certain of such animals shall notbe kept within certain areas.

B. Any county, city, or town may, by ordinance, prohibit cruelty to and abuseof animals and fowl; and may regulate or prohibit the running at large andthe keeping of animals and fowl and provide for the impounding andconfiscation of any such animal or fowl found at large or kept in violationof such regulations. Any such ordinance may require that owners of any exoticor poisonous animal found running at large pay a fee to cover the locality'sactual cost in locating and capturing or otherwise disposing of the animal.

(Code 1950 15-20.1, 15-20.2; 1952, c. 694; 1954, c. 94; 1962, c. 623, 15.1-517, 15.1-870; 1997, cc. 411, 587; 1999, c. 663.)