Livestock must be confined within the owner's property boundary. Virginia's right-to-farm law protects bona fide agricultural operations, and state law lets animal-control officers seize or kill dogs caught killing or injuring livestock or poultry.
County Code makes each lot's boundary line the lawful confinement limit for domesticated livestock (horses, mules, cattle, hogs, sheep, goats and poultry); owners may not let them run at large. Keeping livestock is a matter of the county Zoning Ordinance, most freely permitted in Agricultural districts. Virginia's Right to Farm Act (Code § 3.2-300 et seq.) shields lawful agricultural operations from nuisance suits and restrictive local ordinances. Under Code § 3.2-6552, officers must seize or kill a dog found killing or injuring livestock or poultry, protecting owners' herds.
Allowing livestock to run beyond confinement is unlawful, with a fine up to $250. Dogs killing livestock may be seized or killed by animal-control officers under state law.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Chesterfield County's livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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