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SB707 • 2026

Dogs; devocalization, prohibited, exception, penalty.

An Act to amend and reenact § 54.1-3814 of the Code of Virginia, relating to devocalization of dogs prohibited.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Diggs
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Dogs; devocalization, prohibited, exception, penalty.

Devocalization of dogs prohibited.

What This Bill Does

  • Devocalization of dogs prohibited.
  • Makes it unlawful for any person engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine to perform a surgical devocalization procedure on a dog, except when such procedure is necessary to treat or relieve any injury, disease, or congenital defect that is causing or may cause the dog physical pain or harm.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 829 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0829)

  3. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0829)

  4. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

  5. 2026-03-10 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  6. 2026-03-05 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Signed by President

  8. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB707ER)

  10. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB707)

  11. 2026-03-02 House

    Read third time

  12. 2026-03-02 House

    Passed House (89-Y 10-N 0-A)

  13. 2026-02-27 House

    Read second time

  14. 2026-02-25 Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

    Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (19-Y 3-N)

  15. 2026-02-24 House

    Placed on Calendar

  16. 2026-02-24 House

    Read first time

  17. 2026-02-24 Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

    Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

  18. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Read second time

  19. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  20. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Rules suspended

  21. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Rules suspended

  22. 2026-02-13 Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

    Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Substitute agreed to

  23. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  24. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

  25. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

  26. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Rules suspended

  27. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  28. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  29. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  30. 2026-02-11 Finance and Appropriations

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

  31. 2026-02-09 Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB707)

  32. 2026-02-04 Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

    Committee substitute printed 26105721D-S1

  33. 2026-02-03 Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

    Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

  34. 2026-02-03 Companion Animals

    Senate subcommittee offered

  35. 2026-02-03 Companion Animals

    Assigned HACNR sub: Companion Animals

  36. 2026-01-28 Companion Animals

    Senate subcommittee offered

  37. 2026-01-23 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB707)

  38. 2026-01-21 Senate

    Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/21/2026 10:26 am)

  39. 2026-01-14 Senate

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105207D

  40. 2026-01-14 Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

    Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

Official Summary Text

Devocalization of dogs prohibited.
Makes it unlawful for any person engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine to perform a surgical devocalization procedure on a dog, except when such procedure is necessary to treat or relieve any injury, disease, or congenital defect that is causing or may cause the dog physical pain or harm.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend and reenact §
54.1-3814
of the Code of Virginia, relating to devocalization of dogs prohibited.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
54.1-3814
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
54.1-3814
. Declawing cats; devocalization of dogs; prohibition.
A. As used in this section:
"Cat" means any domesticated species of the family Felidae and does not include any wild or nonnative species of the family Felidae.
"Declawing procedure" means (i) an onychectomy, a dactylectomy, a phalangectomy, or any other procedure that removes a portion of the paw or digit of a cat in order to remove a claw; (ii) a tendonectomy or any other procedure that cuts or modifies the tendon of the limb, paw, or digit of a cat in order to prohibit the normal movement of a claw; or (iii) any procedure that prevents the normal functioning of one or more claws of a cat. "Declawing procedure" does not include nail filing, nail trimming, or the placement of temporary nail caps on one or more claws of a cat.
"Therapeutic purpose" means any action intended (i) to address an existing or recurring infection, disease, injury, or abnormal condition in an animal's claw, nail bed, or toe bone that jeopardizes the animal's health, and for which addressing the infection, disease, injury, or abnormal condition is a medical necessity, as documented by a licensed veterinarian, or (ii) to protect the owner's life or health, as documented by a licensed physician, when such owner has been diagnosed with an infection, disease, disorder, or similar condition that could reasonably be expected to worsen if such owner were to be scratched by a cat. For purposes of this definition, "owner" includes members of the owner's household. "Therapeutic purpose" does not include any action performed for cosmetic or aesthetic reasons or reasons of convenience in the keeping or handling of a cat.
B. It is unlawful for any person engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine to perform a declawing procedure on a cat, except such person may perform such a procedure if it is necessary for a therapeutic purpose.
C. It is unlawful for any person engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine to perform a surgical devocalization procedure on a dog, except when such procedure is necessary to treat or relieve any injury, disease, or congenital defect that is causing or may cause the dog physical pain or harm.