{"data":{"id":"us-va/va.-code-3.2-6540.04","jurisdiction":"us-va","citation":"Va. Code § 3.2-6540.04","heading":"Subsequent attack or bite by dangerous dog; penalty","body":"A. Any owner of an animal found to be a dangerous dog pursuant to § 3.2-6540, when such finding arose out of a separate and distinct incident, is guilty of a:1. Class 2 misdemeanor if such dog attacks and injures or kills a cat or dog that is a companion animal belonging to another person; or2. Class 1 misdemeanor if such dog bites a human being or attacks a human being causing bodily injury.B. 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's property, or was a police dog engaged in the performance of its duties at the time of the attack.C. The court may determine that a person convicted under this section shall be prohibited from owning, possessing, or residing on the same property with a dog.2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 464.","path":["Title 3.2. Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food","Subtitle V. Domestic Animals","Chapter 65. Comprehensive Animal Care","Article 6. Authority of Local Governing Bodies"],"source_url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/3.2-6540.04/","current_through":"9/4/2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-04T15:12:19Z","sha256":"8ccfb8a48fbfd60846d215aae78746717a5dee6ea333ddaf6ecf37f7b8d9ef11","source_id":"us-va","stale":true,"prev":"us-va/va.-code-3.2-6540.03","next":"us-va/va.-code-3.2-6540.1"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}