Chap. 25.—An ACT to amend and re-enact sections 3, 7, 10,12, and 14
of chapter 102 of the Code of 1878, in reference to diseased cattle, and
the appointment of inspectors thereof.

Approved August 27, 1884.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
sections three, seven, ten, twelve, and fourteen of chapter one
hundred and two of the Code of eighteen hundred and seven-
ty-three, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§ 3. Every person shall so restrain his distempered cattle,
or such as are under his care, that they may not go at large
off the land where they belong, and no person shall drive any
distempered cattle into or through the state, or from one
place therein to another, except to remove them from one
piece of ground to another contiguous piece of ground of the
same owner; and when any such cattle shall die, the owner
thereof, or person having them in charge, shall cause them
to be buried, with hides on, at least four feet deep. If any
person shall offend against any of the provisions of this sec-
tion, he shall be fined ten dollars for each head of such cattle.

§7. The constable, or any other person whom the justice or
board of inspectors hereinafter mentioned may empower to
execute the order as aforesaid, to kill and bury any horse,
cattle, or dog, shall have the following fees: In the case of
a horse, four dollars; of cattle, three dollars for each head;
and for each dog, one dollar; to be paid by the owner in each
case if he be known and able to pay it, and if not, by the
county or corporation; and if any officer to whom any such
order is directed, shall fail to execute it, he shall forfeit ten
dollars in each case.

§ 10. Upon the petition of twenty-five voters of any magis-
terial district or corporation in the state, the court of the
county or corporation being satisfied there is occasion there-
for, shall appoint three competent and discreet citizens of said

_ district or corporation to form and constitute a board for the

inspection of cattle in such district or corporation supposed
to be distempered or affected with a disease known as -the
Texas or Splenic fever, or other contagious disease; and such
board, or a majority of them, sball have power and authority,
and shall perform the duties, hereinafler mentioned. Said
boari shall be called the board of cattle inspectors for the
district or corporation for which they shall be appointed. —

§ 12. The board being thus appointed in any district or
corporation, shall meet immediately after receiving their com-
missions, and having qualified in such court or taken the oath
of office ‘before any justice of the peace, select one of their
number president of their board. Where such oath of office
is taken before a justice, he shall certify the fact to the clerk
of such court. The president or any member of such board,
shall, upon his personal knowledge, or upon information de-
rived from others that any Texas, Mexican, or Indian cattle,
or cattle distempered or affected with the disease known as
Texas or Splenic fever, or other contagious disease, or cattle
in such a condition as to communicate any such disease, are
roaming or feeding at large, or are kept in such district or
corporation, or are being driven or transported into or through
the district or corporation, under any pretext whatever, with-
out delay give notice to the other members of the board of
such information or knowledge, and they, or a majority of
them, shall proceed to the place where such cattle may be in
such district or corporation, and some member of the board
shall notify the person or persons having such cattle in
charge, that the board will proceed to an examination of said
cattle, and also to hear proof, and to determine whether said
cattle are liable to be condemned and adjudged to be affected
with what is commonly known as the Texas or Splenic fever,
or other contagious disease, or are capable of imparting the
same or any other disease, and killed under the provisions of
this chapter.

§ 14. If, upon examination of such cattle, and receiving
evidence in relation thereto, the board find, adjudge, and de-
cide said cattle to be diseased in such a manner, or to be in
such a condition as to communicate the said Texas or Splenic
fever, or other contagious or infectious disease, the president
of the board or other member acting as president, shall (unless
the owner immediately kill and Sury such cattle himself),
issue under his hand a writ, directed to the sheriff or any
constable of the county, commanding him to kill and bury,
as hereinbefore prescribed, all of such cattle, if such board
shall think it necessary to prevent the imparting of said
fever, or other disease as aforesaid, to other cattle.

2. The offices of such cattle inspectors as may have been
heretofore appointed under the said chapter of said Code or
acts amendatory thereof, are hereby vacated, and all acts and
parts of acts in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

3. This act shall be in force from its passage.