Animal Ordinances in Virginia Beach, VA (2026)

Virginia Beach City Code §§ 5-543, 5-545

No person shall keep horses, cows, goats, sheep, swine or other livestock or other animals within the city except in areas designated for agricultural purposes or parcels specially designated by the council for the keeping of such animals. ... Fowl may be kept only in those areas zoned for agricultural use.

Va. Code § 3.2-6538

Governing body of any locality may prohibit dogs from running at large; civil penalty. Any locality may by ordinance prohibit the running at large of all or any category of dogs, except dogs used for hunting, in all or any designated portion of such locality during such months as it may designate. Any such locality may also require that dogs be confined, restricted, or penned up during such per...

Va. Code § 3.2-6540.1

Vicious dogs; penalties. A. As used in this section: "Serious injury" means an injury having a reasonable potential to cause death or any injury other than a sprain or strain, including serious disfigurement, serious impairment of health, or serious impairment of bodily function and requiring significant medical attention. "Vicious dog" means a canine or canine crossbreed that has (i) killed a ...

Va. Code § 3.2-4400

"Bee" means the honeybee, Apis mellifera and genetic variations thereof, at any living stage; and may include other hymenopterous insects that depend on pollen and nectar for food. "Bee diseases" means departures from a sound state of health of bees characterized by visible symptoms including American foulbrood and any other diseases, insects, mites, or bee pests. "Bee equipment" means hives an...

Virginia Beach City Code § 5-547

It shall be unlawful for any person to feed any wildlife on publicly-owned property within the city; provided, however, that no violation shall be deemed to occur unless signs giving notice of the prohibition set forth in this section are posted in a conspicuous location upon the property and a law enforcement officer has provided a prior warning that continued feeding of wildlife will result i...

Virginia Beach City Zoning Ordinance § 111 (Definitions — "Kennels, residential")

Kennels, residential. Any premises in which, or parcel of land upon which, more than four (4) dogs over six (6) months of age are kept for pets or for hunting, exhibiting, dog shows, field and obedience trials. Kitchen. An area within a dwelling unit that constitutes a permanent provision for cooking. Landscaped. Devoted exclusively to plants which are rooted directly in the ground or in ...

Virginia Beach City Code § 5-530

Any person owning, keeping or harboring any dog or cat within the city that is found running at large shall be guilty of a class 4 misdemeanor... It shall be the responsibility of any person owning, keeping or harboring any dog or cat within the city to keep such dog or cat confined to the premises of such person, unless in the custody of a responsible person.

Virginia Beach City Code § 5-420

Every new owner of a dog or cat adopted from the bureau of animal control shall cause to be sterilized the dog or cat pursuant to the agreement required by this division. A dog or cat shall not be released for adoption from the bureau of animal control unless: (1) The animal has already been sterilized; or (2) The individual adopting the animal signs an agreement to have the animal sterilized b...

Virginia Beach City Code § 5-521(b)(2)

Within thirty (30) days of the finding that an animal is a dangerous dog pursuant to Code of Virginia § 3.2-6540 and City Code section 5-520, the owner shall: ... (2)Provide documentation that the animal has been implanted with electronic identification registered to the owner. The registration information shall be provided to the animal control officer;

Virginia Beach City Code § 5-549

A pet shop shall sell or offer for adoption a dog procured only from a humane society or private or public animal shelter as those terms are defined in Code of Virginia § 3.2-6500 or from a person who has not received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, pursuant to enforcement of the federal Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. § 2131 et seq.) or regulations adopted thereunder, (i) a citation for ...

Virginia Beach City Code § 18-48

(a)The license tax rate for every person engaged in any agricultural service business shall 0.36 percent of the gross receipts in such business during the preceding calendar year.(b)Agricultural service businesses, as referred to in this section, shall include those businesses set out below and any miscellaneous agricultural service businesses not elsewhere classified:(1)Grist mills, including ...

Virginia Beach City Zoning Ordinance § 223

Except where animals are kept in soundproof, air-conditioned buildings, no structure or area occupied by such animals, whether in animal hospitals, pounds, shelters, commercial or residential kennels, shall be within one hundred (100) feet of the property line of any adjacent lot. At least one (1) off-street parking space per four hundred (400) square feet of floor area shall be provided. Howev...

Virginia Beach City Code § 5-602

It shall be unlawful for any person to kill or injure any bird or to destroy the nests or eggs of any bird, except starlings, in the bird sanctuary established by section 5-600; provided that such restrictions shall not prevent the lawful hunting of game birds under authority of a permit issued pursuant to the provisions of section 38-3 of this Code.(b)The provisions of this section shall not b...

Virginia Beach City Zoning Ordinance § 242.3(b)

Each operator shall hold a valid category I or category II A or B wildlife rehabilitation permit from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, and a migratory bird wildlife rehabilitation permit issued by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service if the operator rehabilitates migratory birds.