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Virginia · Through 9/4/2026 · Newer source version available

Va. Code § 3.2-6588: Intentional interference with a guide or leader dog; penalty

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Where this section sits in the code
  1. Title 3.2. Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food
  2. Subtitle V. Domestic Animals
  3. Chapter 65. Comprehensive Animal Care
  4. Article 12. Miscellaneous Provisions

A. 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.B. 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."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.1995, c. 209, § 3.1-796.128:1; 2008, c. 860; 2023, cc. 148, 149.

Collected 2026-09-04T15:12:19Z. Source file · JSON

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