18.2-144 - Maiming, killing or poisoning animals, fowl, etc. - Virginia Statutes

§ 18.2-144. Maiming, killing or poisoning animals, fowl, etc.

Except as otherwise provided for by law, if any person maliciously shoot,stab, wound or otherwise cause bodily injury to, or administer poison to orexpose poison with intent that it be taken by, any horse, mule, pony, cattle,swine or other livestock of another, with intent to maim, disfigure, disableor kill the same, or if he do any of the foregoing acts to any animal of hisown with intent to defraud any insurer thereof, he shall be guilty of a Class5 felony. If any person do any of the foregoing acts to any fowl or to anycompanion animal with any of the aforesaid intents, he shall be guilty of aClass 1 misdemeanor, except that any second or subsequent offense shall be aClass 6 felony if the current offense or any previous offense resulted in thedeath of an animal or the euthanasia of an animal based on the recommendationof a licensed veterinarian upon determination that such euthanasia wasnecessary due to the condition of the animal, and such condition was a directresult of a violation of this section.

(Code 1950, § 18.1-159; 1960, c. 358; 1964, c. 400; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1977,c. 598; 1978, c. 559; 1999, c. 620.)