§ 6-8. Cruelty.

(a)

For the purposes of this section, the term "animal" shall be construed to include birds and fowl.

(b)

A person shall be guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor if the person:

(1)

Overrides, overdrives, overloads, tortures, ill-treats, abandons, willfully inflicts inhumane injury or pain not connected with bona fide scientific or medical experimentation, or cruelly or unnecessarily beats, maims, mutilates, or kills any animal, whether belonging to himself or another;

(2)

Deprives any animal of necessary food, drink, shelter or emergency veterinary treatment;

(3)

Sores any equine for any purpose or administers drugs or medications to alter or mask such soring for the purpose of sale, show, or exhibition of any kind, unless such administration of drugs or medications is within the context of a veterinary client-patient relationship and solely for therapeutic purposes;

(4)

Willfully sets on foot, instigates, engages in, or in any way furthers any act of cruelty to any animal;

(5)

Carries or causes to be carried in or upon any vehicle, vessel or otherwise any animal in a cruel, brutal, or inhumane manner, so as to produce torture or unnecessary suffering; or

(6)

Causes any of the things in subsections (b)(1) through (5) of this section or, being the owner of such animal, permits such acts to be done by another.

(c)

Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the dehorning of cattle.

(d)

This section shall not prohibit authorized wildlife management activities or hunting, fishing or trapping as regulated under other titles of the Code of Virginia, including but not limited to Code of Virginia, title 29.1, or to farming activities as provided under Code of Virginia, title 3.1, or regulations promulgated thereto.

(e)

In addition to the penalties provided in subsection (b) of this section, the court may, in its discretion, require any person convicted of a violation of subsection (b) of this section to attend an anger management or other appropriate treatment program or obtain psychiatric or psychological counseling. The court may impose the costs of such a program or counseling upon the person convicted.

(f)

It is unlawful for any person to kill a domestic dog or cat for the purpose of obtaining the hide, fur or pelt of the dog or cat. A violation of this subsection shall constitute a class 1 misdemeanor.

(g)

Any person convicted of violating this section may be prohibited by the court from possession or ownership of companion animals.

(Code 1988, § 3-112)

State Law reference— Similar provisions, Code of Virginia, § 3.1-796.122.

(Code 1988, § 3-112)

State law reference

Similar provisions, Code of Virginia, § 3.1-796.122.