§ 5-198. Enforcement measures on noncompliance by owner of dog or cat.

If any person who owns or controls a dog or cat fails or refuses to comply with any of the provisions of this article or with any instructions given by an animal protection police officer, a veterinarian, a health department representative or other appropriate official pursuant to this article, the animal protection police officer may take such dog or cat immediately into custody and confine it in the county pound. The person owning or controlling such dog or cat shall then be summoned immediately by the animal protection police officer to appear in the general district court, where the matter shall be heard as all other matters are heard on criminal warrants. Upon finding that such person either owns or controls a dog or cat and has failed or refused to comply with any provision of this article or with instructions properly given pursuant to this article, the judge, in addition to any sentence which he may impose for conviction of a class 4 misdemeanor, shall order any confinement or destruction of the animal appropriate under the circumstances and pursuant to this article, and shall order the convicted person to pay for any required vaccination, license and confinement-related expenses.

(Code 1980, § 4-32(b); Code 1995, § 5-179; Ord. No. 1148, § 21(5-179), 8-10-2010)

State Law reference— Penalty to be class 4 misdemeanor, Code of Virginia, § 3.2-6587(A)4; penalty for class 4 misdemeanors, Code of Virginia, § 18.2-11.

(Code 1980, § 4-32(b); Code 1995, § 5-179; Ord. No. 1148, § 21(5-179), 8-10-2010)

State law reference

Penalty to be class 4 misdemeanor, Code of Virginia, § 3.2-6587(A)4; penalty for class 4 misdemeanors, Code of Virginia, § 18.2-11.