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2012 SESSION

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12102289D
HOUSE BILL NO. 888 Offered January 11, 2012 Prefiled January 11, 2012 A BILL to amend and reenact § 3.2-6544 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the tethering of companion animals. ---------- Patron-- Alexander ---------- Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 3.2-6544 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 3.2-6544. Regulation of keeping of animals and fowl.

A. Any locality may, for the preservation of public health, regulate by ordinance the keeping of animals or fowl, other than dogs and cats, within a certain distance of residences or other buildings or wells, springs, streams, creeks, or brooks, and provide that all or certain of such animals shall not be kept within certain areas.

B. Any locality may, by ordinance, prohibit cruelty to and abuse of animals and fowl; and may regulate or prohibit the running at large and the keeping of animals and fowl and provide for the impounding and confiscation of any such animal or fowl found at large or kept in violation of such regulations. Any such ordinance may require that owners of any exotic or poisonous animal found running at large pay a fee to cover the locality's actual cost in locating and capturing or otherwise disposing of the animal.

C. Any locality as defined in § 1-221 may, by ordinance, regulate, restrict, or prohibit the tethering or chaining of companion animals.