Montgomery County, VA Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- General pet microchip mandate
- none in county code
- Court remedy
- microchip for confirmed poultry-killing dogs
- Alternative to
- euthanasia or out-of-state removal
- Poultry killer defined
- 3rd confirmed kill (Sec 3-30)
- Off-property rule
- must be leashed and muzzled
Summary
Montgomery County has no general microchipping mandate for pets, but County Code § 3-30(c) lets a district court order a dog found to have killed or injured only poultry to be fitted with an identifying microchip registered to its owner, as an alternative to the killing, euthanasia or out-of-state removal otherwise available for livestock-killing dogs.
Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b), if it is determined that the dog has killed or injured only poultry, the district court may, instead of ordering killing, euthanasia, or removal to another state pursuant to this section, order either (a) that the dog be transferred to another owner whom the court deems appropriate and permanently fitted with an identifying microchip registered to that owner or (b) that the dog be fitted with an identifying microchip registered to the owner and confined indoors or in a securely enclosed and locked structure of sufficient height and design to prevent the dog's escape; direct contact with the dog by minors, adults, or other animals; or entry by minors, adults, or other animals. The structure shall be designed to provide the dog with shelter from the elements of nature. When off its owner's property, any dog found to be a poultry killer shall be kept on a leash and muzzled in such a manner as not to cause injury to the dog or interfere with its vision or respiration, but so as to prevent it from biting a person or another animal.
Full Breakdown
Sec 3-30 lets an animal control officer or other officer seize or kill a dog found in the act of killing or injuring livestock or poultry, and lets any person, including the livestock owner, kill such a dog on sight in some circumstances. A dog that kills poultry a third time is deemed a "confirmed poultry killer," and a general district court can order a livestock- or poultry-killing dog killed, euthanized, or removed to a non-adjoining state. But under Sec 3-30(c), when the court determines the dog killed or injured only poultry rather than livestock, it may instead order either that the dog be transferred to a new owner and permanently fitted with an identifying microchip registered to that owner, or that the dog stay with its current owner, be fitted with a microchip registered to that owner, and be confined indoors or in a securely enclosed, locked structure built to prevent escape and to block contact with minors, adults, or other animals, while still sheltering the dog from the elements.
Whenever such a dog leaves its owner's property, it must be kept on a leash and muzzled in a way that does not injure it or block its breathing but still prevents it from biting a person or another animal. No other section of Chapter 3 imposes a general microchip requirement on companion animals.
Violations & Fines
Sec 3-30 is itself a court remedy rather than a standalone offense; a dog ordered microchipped and confined that is later found unconfined, unleashed, or unmuzzled off its owner's property is back in violation of the underlying at-large and poultry-killing provisions, which can trigger renewed court action including euthanasia or removal from the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Montgomery County require pet dogs and cats to be microchipped?
When can a court order a dog to be microchipped instead of destroyed?
What other restrictions apply to a dog under this microchip order?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Montgomery County
Compare Montgomery County to another location·View the Virginia animal ordinances overview
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