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Virginia statute

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-144 — Maiming, killing or poisoning animals, fowl, etc

Current through 2026 Regular Session

Part of Article 7: Damage to and Tampering with Property, Code of Virginia.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-144

Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the text of the Code of Virginia from the official Virginia Law Portal API published by the Virginia General Assembly's Division of Legislative Automated Systems; it is not the official Code of Virginia.

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-144Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session
Except as otherwise provided for by law, if any person maliciously shoot, stab, wound or otherwise cause bodily injury to, or administer poison to or expose poison with intent that it be taken by, any horse, mule, pony, cattle, swine or other livestock of another, with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or kill the same, or if he do any of the foregoing acts to any animal of his own with intent to defraud any insurer thereof, he shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony. If any person do any of the foregoing acts to any fowl or to any companion animal with any of the aforesaid intents, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, except that any second or subsequent offense shall be a Class 6 felony if the current offense or any previous offense resulted in the death of an animal or the euthanasia of an animal based on the recommendation of a licensed veterinarian upon determination that such euthanasia was necessary due to the condition of the animal, and such condition was a direct result of a violation of this section.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is maiming, killing or poisoning animals, fowl, etc a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

It depends on the circumstances: maiming, killing or poisoning animals, fowl, etc ranges from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 5 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-144.

Injury/poisoning of livestock or own animal to defraud insurer: class 5 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-144) · Injury/poisoning of fowl or companion animal - first offense: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-144) · Second or subsequent offense involving death or euthanasia of animal: class 6 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-144)

Which Virginia statute covers maiming, killing or poisoning animals, fowl, etc?

Maiming, killing or poisoning animals, fowl, etc is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-144 (Maiming, killing or poisoning animals, fowl, etc).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.