Virginia statute

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-403.4 — Unauthorized release of animals; penalty

Current through 2026 Regular Session

Part of Article 8: Offenses Involving Animals, Code of Virginia.

Criminal charges under this statute

Unauthorized release of animals

Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-403.4

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. § 18.2-403.4Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session

Any person who intentionally releases an animal, as defined in § 3.2-6500 , lawfully confined for scientific, research, commercial, agricultural or educational purposes without the consent of the owner or custodian of the animal and with the intent to impede or obstruct any such lawful purpose shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Official sources

Official section text (law.lis.virginia.gov)

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is unauthorized release of animals a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

Unauthorized release of animals is a class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-403.4.

Which Virginia statute covers unauthorized release of animals?

Unauthorized release of animals is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-403.4 (Unauthorized release of animals; penalty).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.