It shall be unlawful for any person to own a dog four months
old or older in the County, unless such dog is licensed under the
provisions of this article.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§ 3.2-6524.
A.
Any person may obtain a dog license by making oral or written application
to the treasurer, accompanied by the amount of the license tax. The
treasurer shall only have the authority to license dogs of owners
or custodians who reside within the boundary limits of the County
and may require information to establish the location of the residence
of any applicant.
B.
It shall be unlawful for any person to make a false statement in
order to secure a dog license to which he is not entitled. Violation
of this section shall constitute a Class 4 misdemeanor.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§§ 3.2-6526, 3.2-6527, 3.2-6587 (penalty).
B.
No license fee shall be imposed under this section on any dog that
is trained and serves as a guide dog for a blind person or that is
trained and serves as a hearing dog for a deaf or hearing-impaired
person; or that is a search and rescue dog; or that is trained and
serves as a service dog for a mobility-impaired person. As used herein,
the term "hearing dog" means a dog trained to alert its owner, by
touch, to sounds of danger and sounds to which the owner should respond;
and "service dog" means a dog trained to accompany its owner for the
purpose of carrying items, retrieving objects, pulling a wheelchair
or other such activities or service or support.
C.
All money collected by the treasurer pursuant to this section shall
be deposited into the general fund of the County.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§ 3.2-6528.
The license tax imposed on dogs by § 11-28 shall be due and payable as follows:
A.
On or before the first day of January and not later than the 31st
day of January of each year, the owner of any dog four months old
or older shall pay such tax.
B.
If a dog shall become four months of age or if a dog over four months
of age unlicensed by this County shall come into the possession of
any person between the first day of January and the 31st day of October
of any year, the license tax for the current calendar year shall be
paid by the owner forthwith.
C.
If a dog shall become four months of age or if a dog over four months
of age unlicensed by this County shall come into the possession of
any person between the first day of November and the 31st day of December
of any year, the license tax for the succeeding calendar year shall
be paid forthwith by the owner and such license shall protect the
dog from the date of payment of the license tax to the end of the
succeeding calendar year.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§ 3.2-6530.
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog to fail to pay
the license tax imposed by this article before February 1 for the
year in which it is due. In addition to any fine imposed hereunder,
the court may order the confiscation and the proper disposition of
any dog for which the license fee has not been paid. Payment of the
license tax subsequent to a summons to appear before a court for failure
to do so within the time required by this article shall not operate
to relieve such owner from the penalties provided for such failure.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§§ 3.2-6536, 3.2-6587 (penalty).
A.
Upon receipt of a proper application and the prescribed license tax, the treasurer shall issue a dog license, provided that no such license shall be issued for any dog unless there is presented to the treasurer a current certificate of vaccination or inoculation issued for the dog pursuant to § 11-37, valid for the entire license year or years. When the license is issued, such certificate shall be marked and returned to the dog's owner. It shall be unlawful for any person to present a certificate for a dog other than that for which it was issued.
B.
Each dog license shall consist of a license tax receipt and a metal
tag. Such receipt shall have recorded thereon the amount of the tax
paid, the name and address of the owner or custodian of the dog, the
date of payment, the year for which the license is issued, the serial
number of the tag and whether the license is for a male, female or
unsexed female dog or for a kennel. The metal tag issued hereunder
shall be stamped or otherwise permanently marked to show the name
of the County, the sex of the dog and the calendar year for which
issued and a serial number.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§§ 3.2-6526, 3.2-6527.
A.
A dog license receipt shall be carefully preserved by the person
to whom it is issued and exhibited promptly on request for inspection
by the animal control officer or any other officer of the County.
Dog license tags shall be securely fastened to a substantial collar
by the owner and worn by such dog. The owner of the dog may remove
the collar and license tag required by this section when the dog is
engaged in lawful hunting; when the dog is competing in a dog show,
supervised obedience training, or supervised field trial; when the
dog has a skin condition which would be exacerbated by the wearing
of a collar; when the dog is confined; or when the dog is under the
immediate control of its owner.
B.
Any dog not wearing a collar bearing a license tag of the proper
calendar year shall prima facie be deemed to be unlicensed, and in
any proceedings under this article, the burden of proof of the fact
that such dog has been licensed or is otherwise not required to bear
a tag at the time shall be on the owner of the dog.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§§ 3.2-6531, 3.2-6533.
It shall be unlawful for any person, other than the owner, to
remove a license tag from a dog without the permission of the owner.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§ 3.2-6587.
If a dog license tag shall become lost, destroyed or stolen,
the owner shall at once apply to the Treasurer for a duplicate license
tag. Upon presenting the original license receipt and an affidavit
that the original license tag has been lost, destroyed or stolen,
the treasurer shall issue a duplicate license tag, which the owner
shall immediately affix to the collar of the dog. The Treasurer shall
endorse the number of the duplicate and the date issued on the face
of the original license receipt. The fee for a duplicate tag shall
be established by resolution adopted by the Board of Supervisors.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§ 3.2-6532.
It shall be unlawful for any person to conceal or harbor any
dog upon which the license tax imposed by this article has not been
paid.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§ 3.2-6587.
[Added 3-21-2018]
A.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, effective in lieu of the annual license required under §§ 11-28 and 11-29, any dog owner may opt to purchase a permanent license, valid for the lifetime of the dog for which it has been issued. The fee for issuance of such a lifetime license shall be $50 for a dog regardless of if it being spayed/neutered. As provided by § 11-29, either an annual license or a lifetime license shall be required for every dog on and after the date the dog reaches the age of four months, or 30 days after a dog is brought into the County, whichever is later. Kennel licenses shall continue to be required and issued on an annual basis, as stated in § 11-28.
[Amended 6-18-2024]
B.
Dog owners applying for such a lifetime license shall present a certificate of a current rabies vaccination. Thereafter the owner shall maintain such vaccination in current status as required by § 11-37. If a dog previously granted a lifetime license is determined by the animal control officer not to have a currently valid vaccination or certificate thereof, the lifetime license shall be deemed void, and in addition to any other penalty or consequence provided by law, the owner shall be required to apply for a new license for such dog once a valid vaccination has been obtained.
