The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services launched a new online registry for dangerous dogs on July 2. Created through legislation in the 2006 General Assembly, the interactive database allows users to see if there are any dangerous dogs in their area. Neither Albemarle nor Charlottesville has any yet listed.
Virginia law defines a “dangerous dog” as one that has “bitten, attacked, or inflicted injury on a person or companion animal that is a dog or cat, or killed a companion animal that is a dog or cat” (guinea pigs apparently remain unprotected). When a dog has been identified as “dangerous,” the owner of the dog must register with the database, paying a $100 initial registration fee and a $35 renewal registration fee yearly until the dog is deceased.
State Veterinarian Dr. Richard Wilkes says there are some extenuating circumstances that might affect a judge’s decision as to whether a dog is “dangerous,” such as a situation in which the animal is on its own property for the protection of its owner.
Wilkes says no dog will be found “dangerous” solely because of its breed. “Just like it wouldn’t be fair to say that all bald-headed men are mean because of me, it probably wouldn’t be fair to say that all of a specific breed of dog are mean, dangerous or vicious because a few of them are,” says Wilkes.
All “dangerous” dogs are required to wear a small red aluminum tag identifying them as such. They also must be tattooed or have a subcutaneous electronic chip for permanent identification.
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