CHAPTER 575

AN ACT to amend and reenact § 29-184.2, as amended, of the Code of Vir-
ginia, relating to appointment, powers and duties of dog wardens in
certain counties, so as to permit the appointment of such wardens in
certain counties.

{S 176)

Approved March 29, 1958
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 29-184.2, as amended, of the Code of Virginia, be amended
and reenacted as follows:
§ 29-184.2. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except
§ 29-184.8, in any county *, the enforcement of the dog laws * may, in the
discretion of the governing body thereof, be vested in a dog warden and
deputy dog wardens, and upon the appointment therein of a dog warden
and deputy dog wardens the game warden shall have no jurisdiction as to
the enforcement of the dog laws. In any such county the judge of the
circuit court shall appoint * an officer to be known as the dog warden,
who shall have exclusive jurisdiction as to the enforcement of the dog laws
in such county; the judge may also * appoint one or more deputy dog
wardens to assist the dog warden in dog inspection activities and in dog
law enforcement. Provided, however, that in any county having a popula-
tion in excess of twenty-three thousand three hundred fifty but not in
excess of twenty-three thousand three hundred seventy, the circuit court
shall appoint the dog warden and any deputy recommended by the govern-
ing body of such county. Provided, however, that any county which has
adopted the county manager form of organization and government pro-
vided by Chapter 11, Title 15, shall appoint such dog warden and deputy
dog wardens in the same manner as are other employees as provided in
§ 15-814. Such deputy dog wardens shall have the powers and duties of
a dog warden. The dog warden and deputy dog wardens shall have all the
powers and duties of a game warden in the enforcement of the dog laws.
The dog warden and deputy dog wardens shall be paid such compensation
as the governing body of the county may prescribe.

(b) The * appointments shall be made by the court or judge on or
before the thirtieth day of June for one year commencing on the first day
of July and expiring on the thirtieth day of June next succeeding.

(c) In such county the amount of the dog license tax, which in no
event shall be more than five dollars per dog, shall be fixed by ordinance
adopted by the governing body of such county, and thereafter the tax
imposed under § 29-184 shall not apply therein. The funds collected for
dog license taxes shall be paid into a special fund and may be disposed of
as provided in this section and in §§ 29-206 and 29-209, * except that *
the county treasurer shall not be required to remit any portion of such
funds to the State Treasurer nor shall the governing body be required to
supplement the salary of the game warden. The county shall pay the
salaries and expenses of the dog warden and deputy dog wardens from
such special fund. * Any sum * remaining shall be left to accumulate in
said fund for a period of not less than three years, and not more than fifty
per cent of such accumulated fund shall be transferred from said special
fund to any other fund, except as herein provided, in any one fiscal year.

(c-1) The Governor is hereby authorized to transfer at one time or
from time to time from the unappropriated balance in the Game Protec-
tion Fund such sum as may be necessary and recommended by the Dt-
rector of the Budget for the revision of the salary of the game warden in
any county adopting the provisions of this act.

(d) All other provisions of Chapter 9 of this title shall apply mutatis
prubauite to any such county and dog wardens and deputy dog wardens

erein.

(e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any county
having a population of more than thirty-six thousand but not more than
thirty-nine thousand.

(f) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any county having
a population of more than twenty-seven thousand but not more than
twenty-seven thousand seven hundred fifty.