Fauquier County, VA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Vaccination required
- cats over 4 months, rabies vaccine + certificate
- Revaccination interval
- every 3 years (§4-12(f))
- Diseased cat straying
- Class 4 misdemeanor (§4-25(1))
- Female cat in estrus straying
- civil penalty (§4-25(2))
- Concealing unlicensed/rabid cat
- civil penalty (§4-25(3))
- Vaccination/estrus/concealing penalty
- $150 (§4-28(h))
Summary
Fauquier County requires every cat over four months old to carry a current rabies vaccination under County Code § 4-12(a), and separately bans letting a diseased cat or a female cat in heat stray from the owner's property under § 4-25(1)-(2). Concealing an unlicensed or rabid cat is also unlawful under § 4-25(3).
Diseased dog or cat. It shall be unlawful for any dog or cat with a contagious or infectious disease to stray from its owner's property, if such disease is known to the owner. Any person who violates this subsection shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.(2)Female dog or cat in estrus. It shall be unlawful for the owner of any female dog or female cat to stray from its owner's property while such dog or cat is known to such owner to be in estrus. ... (3)Concealing a dog or cat. It shall be unlawful for any person to conceal or harbor any dog or cat on which any required license tax has not been paid, or to conceal a rabid dog or a rabid cat to keep it from being killed. ... It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep or harbor any dog or domesticated cat over four (4) months old within the county unless such dog or domesticated cat has been vaccinated with a species-appropriate vaccine licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture and administered by a licensed veterinarian, and has received any required revaccination against rabies as specified in the certificate of vaccination.
Full Breakdown
Section 4-12 requires vaccination with a species-appropriate, USDA-licensed vaccine administered by a licensed veterinarian, documented on a NASPHV Form 50 or equivalent certificate that owners must keep and show to law enforcement on request, with revaccination required every three years. New owners or newly aged cats have 30 days to get the vaccination. Section 4-25(1) makes it unlawful for a diseased or infectious cat, known to be sick, to stray from the owner's property, a Class 4 misdemeanor. Section 4-25(2) separately bans letting a female cat known to be in estrus stray from the property, and § 4-25(3) bans concealing or harboring an unlicensed cat, or hiding a rabid cat to keep it from being killed. The Sheriff, deputy sheriffs and the county animal warden enforce this chapter under § 4-10.
Violations & Fines
Failing to vaccinate a cat for rabies, or failing to produce the vaccination certificate on request, draws a $150 civil penalty under § 4-28(h)(3)-(4). Letting a female cat in estrus stray, or concealing an unlicensed or rabid cat, each draw a $150 civil penalty under § 4-28(h)(12)-(14). A diseased cat straying from its owner's known-sick property is a Class 4 misdemeanor under § 4-25(1).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Fauquier County require cats to be vaccinated?
Can my cat roam outside in unincorporated Fauquier County?
Is hiding an unvaccinated or rabid cat from animal control illegal?
What's the penalty for not vaccinating a cat in Fauquier County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fauquier County
Compare Fauquier County to another location·View the Virginia animal ordinances overview
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