Virginia Overview – 2024-2025 Session
VIRGINIA Legislative Overview – 2024-25 Session
(Adjourned on February 22, 2025)
37 pet related items were proposed during the 2024-2025 legislative session, 19 of which were designated as priority by the Pet Advocacy Network.
Final Disposition of Priority ISSUES:
| BILL # | SUMMARY | FINAL DISPOSITION |
| HB 62 | Animal Cruelty Conviction List: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care), Article 9 (Cruelty to Animals) of the Code of Virginia by adding a new Section 6573.1 relating to local animal cruelty registries. | ENACTED (EFFECTIVE 7/1/24) |
| HB 137 | Emergency Medical Services Regulations – Police Dogs: Amends Title 32.1 (Health), Chapter 4 (Health Care Planning), Article 2.1 (Statewide Emergency Medical Services System and Services), Section 111.4 (Regulations; emergency medical services personnel and vehicles; response times; enforcement provisions; civil penalties) of the Code of Virginia relating to emergency medical services regulations for police dogs. | DIED IN COMMITTEE (MISSED CROSSOVER DEADLINE) |
| HB 206 | Pet Shop Recordkeeping – Cat and Dog Deaths: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care & Food), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care), Article 3 (Transportation & Sale of Animals), Section 6511 (Failure of dealer or pet shop to provide adequate care; penalty; report) of the Code of Virginia in relation to mandatory recordkeeping and reporting by pet shops of dog and cats deaths. | LEFT IN COMMITTEE (DIED) |
| HB 223 | Animal Cruelty Conviction/Pet Ownership Prohibition: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care & Food), Subtitle V (Domestic Animals), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care), Article 9 (Cruelty to Animals), Section 3.2-6570 (Cruelty to animals; penalty) of the Code of Virginia to further restrict animal possession and ownership for those convicted of felony cruelty to animals. | ENACTED (EFFECTIVE 7/1/24) |
| HB 299 | Dog Ownership License Tax Exemption: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care & Food), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care), Article 5 (Rabies Control and Licensing of Dogs and Cats), Section 6528 (Amount of license tax) of the Code of Virginia to exempt certain dogs from a local dog ownership license tax. | ENACTED (EFFECTIVE 7/1/24) |
| HB 330 | Pet Shop Financing Restrictions: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care & Food), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care), Article 3 (Transportation and Sale of Animals) of the Code of Virginia by adding a new Section 6515.1 (Pet shops; consumer credit) in relation to pet shops offering consumer credit. | ENACTED (EFFECTIVE 7/1/24) |
| HB 889 | Companion Animal Care Sales Tax: Amends Title 58.1 (Taxation), Subtitle I (Taxes Administered by the Department of Taxation), Chapter 6 (Retail Sales & Use Tax), Section 602 of the Code of Virginia adding a definition for and impose sales tax on “taxable services” (would include “companion animal care”). | LEFT IN COMMITTEE (DIED) |
| HB 1591 | Tax Credit – Veterinary Care for Retired Police Canines: Amends Title 58.1 (Taxation), Chapter 3 (Income Tax), Article 3 (Tax Credits for Individuals) of the Code of Virginia by adding a new Section 58.1-339.15 (Veterinary care for retired police canines tax credit) to create a nonrefundable income tax credit for taxable years 2025 through 2029 for costs directly incurred for the veterinary care of a retired police canine. | LEFT IN COMMITTEE (DIED) |
| HB 1698/SB 1369 | Sales Tax Exemption – Veterinary Drugs and Medicines: Amends Title 58.1 (Taxation), Chapter 6 (Retail Sales & Use Tax), Section 58.1-609.10 (Miscellaneous exemptions) of the Code of Virginia to extend the tax exemption for prescription medicines and drugs purchased by veterinarians from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2028. | ENACTED (EFFECTIVE 7/1/25) |
| HB 1814 | Animal Cruelty Conviction List: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care), Article 9 (Cruelty to Animals) of the Code of Virginia by adding a new Section 6573.1 to establish an Animal Cruelty Conviction List. | LEFT IN COMMITTEE (DIED) |
| HB 2313/SB 1051 | Animal Boarding Establishments – Inspections: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care, & Food), Subtitle V (Domestic Animals), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care), Article 3 (Transportation and Sale of Animals) of the Code of Virginia by adding a new Section 3.2-6519.1 (Annual inspections of boarding establishments) to mandate annual unannounced inspections of boarding establishments by the State Veterinarian or local inspectors to ensure animal welfare and compliance with regulations. | ENACTED (EFFECTIVE ON 7/1/25) |
| SB 31 | Pet Food Product Manufacturer/Distributor Surcharge: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care and Food), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care) of the Code of Virginia by adding Section 6504.2 to create the “Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Fund;” and Title 58.1 (Taxation), Chapter 17 (Miscellaneous Taxes) of the Code of Virginia by adding Section 1707.1, imposing a surcharge of $50.00 for each ton of pet food distributed, to be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Fund. | LEFT IN COMMITTEE (DIED) |
| SB 903 | Pet Shop Recordkeeping Requirements – Civil Penalties: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care & Food), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care), Article 3 (Transportation & Sale of Animals), Section 3.2-6501.1 (Regulations for the keeping of certain animals) and Section 3.2-6511.1 (Pet shops; procurement of dogs; penalty) of the Code of Virginia to: (1) Require that pet shops adhere to certain recordkeeping and disclosure requirements upon taking custody of dogs; and (2) Amend civil penalty provisions for violation of this section. | ENACTED (EFFECTIVE ON 7/1/25) |
| SB 916 | Working Group – Pet Shop Dog and Cat Sales: Provides that the Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services shall convene a work group to analyze and evaluate currently collected data on the sale of dogs and cats by pet shops to identify what information a pet shop shall make available to a prospective dog or cat owner. | LEFT IN COMMITTEE (DIED) |
| SB 1125 | Wildlife Propagation Restrictions/Premature Separation: Amends Title 29.1 (Wildlife, Inland Fisheries and Boating), Chapter 4 (Permits Required), Article 3 (Special Permits), Section 29.1-417 (Capturing, holding, propagating, and disposing of wildlife for authorized purposes) of the Code of Virginia to: (1) Make it unlawful to propagate wildlife unless authorized by a permit issued by the Department of Wildlife Resources; and (2) Provide that any permit holder authorized by the Department to propagate wildlife shall not prematurely separate any mammalian wildlife from the mother prior to the natural time of weaning that is appropriate for such species. | VETOED BY GOVERNOR |
| SB 1127 | Animal Testing Facilities – Inspection/ Recordkeeping: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care & Food), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care), Article 13 (Animal Research), Section 3.2-6593.2 (Animal testing facilities; public notification) to enhance transparency by mandating public disclosure of USDA reports and compliance records by animal testing facilities. | ENACTED (EFFECTIVE 7/1/25) |
| REG 2021-001 | Pet Shop Dog and Cat Sales – Animal Welfare Requirements: Rulemaking amends Title 2 (Agriculture), Agency 5 (Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services) of Virginia Administrative Code by adding a new Chapter 105 (Regulations Pertaining to Pet Shops Selling Dogs or Cats) to establish statutory and regulatory requirements standardizing welfare requirements for dogs and cats sold by retail pet shops. (Mandated by the enactment of SB 891 in July 2020). | ADOPTED (EFFECTIVE ON 5/9/24) |
View ALL Virginia legislation tracked by the Pet Advocacy Network during the 2024-2025 session.
View ALL local ordinances tracked by the Pet Advocacy Network during the 2025 session.
View ALL federal and state issues tracked by the Pet Advocacy Network during the 2025 session.