Any jurisdiction having an excess population of companion animals or feral cat colonies must require dealer permits for those satisfying the definition of dealer in companion animals

Any jurisdiction using property taxes to fund its ACO function must require dealer permits.

Any public employee, volunteer or employee at a public or private pound or humane society, or veterinarian, after having observed injuries to dogs consistent with dog fighting must report their observations to the ACO and/or Sheriff for that jurisdiction.

The reports will be written or oral and will include date and time of observation, owner’s name (if known), injuries observed, and whatever other particulars the local Sheriff or ACO may deem appropriate.

Failure to report such injuries is a Class 3 misdemeanor and the party derelict in this duty may be subject to a civil action for damages under this statue or 8.01-221.

1. releasing agencies will include dealers, pet shops, and puppy mills doing business in Virginia directly or through the Internet
2. subject to age and/or health conditions, all releasing agencies must spay/neuter dogs/cats before release; failure to do so is punishable by a penalty of $150 and return of the dog/cat to the releasing agency
3. a breed improver, fancier or hobby breeder is not a releasing agency; any person fraudulently claiming such status will be fined $1,000

   HOBBY BREEDER: dog or cat owner who wishes to breed and find homes for one litter, ONE-TIME

   FANCIER BREEDER: dog or cat owner who regularly shows dogs or cats at American Kennel Club (AKC), United Kennel Club (UKC), American Working Dog Federation (AWDF) and their member clubs, or The Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) sanctioned competitions and adheres to AKC’s 22 responsible breeding steps, UKC’s breeders code of ethics, AWDF’s constitution and bylaws, or CFA’s breed standards

   BREED IMPROVER: dog or cat owner who breeds working dogs, show dogs, or cats of a specific breed(s) to perpetuate the breed, to eliminate physical shortcomings and disease, or who could otherwise demonstrate a conscious and deliberate plan of breed improvement, and adheres to AKC’s 22 responsible breeding steps, UKC’s breeders code of ethics, AWDF’s constitution and bylaws, or CFA’s breed standards

4. pet shops and dealers are not subject to 3.1-796.96, 3.1-796.96:5A.1 or 3.1-796.96:5F

Reinstate the humane investigator program statewide and allow those appointed to be reappointed for three-year terms so long as they wish to serve or are competent to serve.

A person may be eligible for such appointment if he (i) receives written recommendation from the local animal control administrative entity or humane society, (ii) passes a criminal background check, and (iii) completes an animal control course.

The bill requires humane investigators to report to the same functional authority to which the animal control function reports so long as the humane investigator is independent of animal control officers.

1. The first full week in February will be Humane Education Week.
2. It shall be required of all public schools in the Commonwealth to participate in Humane Education Week. Humane Education will not be included in SOLs.

   Students in grades K-6 will focus on humane education for a minimum of 1.5 hours per day during that week. In grades 7-9, students will devote at least 10 hours during that week to humane education. In the remaining grades, there will be 10 hours per year devoted to humane education.

   NOTE: grades included will depend on the configuration of the schools in that district; some go K-8, some have a middle schools grades 5-8 or 6-9, etc.

3. The goal of the program is to help students understand responsible ownership of companion animals.
4. Instruction may be provided by volunteers and classroom time may be scheduled outside normal school hours of operation.

Cost of adoption from a public pound or a 501c3 private shelter is a tax credit on Virginia income tax returns as of 1/1/08.

Expenses of veterinarians performing pro bono surgeries (spay/neuter, euthanasia, and other routine or emergency services) to animals in public pounds or to 501c3 private shelters are a tax credit on Virginia income tax returns as of 1/1/08.

Cruelty to animals, penalty. Increases the penalty from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony for acts of intentional animal cruelty or deprivation of food, shelter, or care resulting in serious injury to or the death of a companion animal.

A person or entity convicted, fined, or otherwise penalized for such abuse may be proceeded against by the owner, local humane society or rescue in a civil action to recover damages, including punitive damages.

A state-wide Spay/Neuter Fund shall be established from a three dollar ($3.00) surcharge added to the cost of each rabies shot administered in Virginia on or after September 1, 2007. It shall be the responsibility of the veterinarian administering the inoculation to collect said funds and forward these funds to the County Treasurers together with the rabies inoculation certificates.

A fund administrator shall be appointed to receive and disburse these funds to clinics or other entities performing pro-bono or reduced cost spay/neuter upon applications.

No animal less than 6 months of age, and no animal which is not sterile may be tethered.

No dog or cat may be tethered using a tether weighing more than 1/8^th the animal’s weight, or without appropriate space, shelter and other care as provided for by the Code of Virginia. There shall be a tethering ban notwithstanding shelter availability on days when the temperature exceeds 85 or goes below 25 , or in wet weather if the shelter isn’t dry, or if the space provided is inadequate to establish separate areas for eating/sleeping and defecation/urination.

Localities after 1/1/08 shall impose restrictions on tethering, the physical configurations thereof, the hours during which and conditions under which tethering may or may not be allowed, and will prohibit tethering as the primary means of confinement.

1. license fee cap of $35 for dog and cats; additional dogs or cats may be set at $2.00 each; rescues and shelters exempted
2. kennel licenses will not be available without good cause
3. releasing agencies must sell a license to anyone purchasing from them
4. licenses also to be sold at pet stores, pet food stores, vets, places selling hunting/fishing licenses, supermarkets, rescues, pounds and animal control; remit with sales tax or quarterly; seller retains 5% of license fee as commission
5. reminder sent with property tax bill, car decals, license/registration; also mail-in form