Chap. 203.—An ACT to amend sections three, seven, ten, twelve and
fourteen of chapter one hundred of the Code of 1873, in reference to
diseased cattle.

Approved March 1, 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
seventy-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 suc ‘h cattle shall die, the owner
thereof, or person having them in charge, shall cause them to
be buried with their hides on at least four feet deep. [ft any
person shall offend against any of the provisions of this sec-
tion, heshall be fined ten dollars tor 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 foreach head; and
for cach dog, one doll: ar; to he paid by the owner in eac ‘A 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 fhil to execute it, he shall forteit ten dollars in
each case.

$10. Uponthe petition of twenty-five voters of any mavis-
terial district or corporation in the state, the court of the
county or corporation being satisfied there is occasion theretor,
shall appoint three competent and discreet treeholders 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, shall have power and authority,
and shall perform the duties hereinafter mentioned. Said
board 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 atter 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
derived from others, that any Texas, Mexican, or Indian
cattle, or cattle distempered or affected with the disease
known as the 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 trans-
ported into or through the district or corporation, under any
pretext whatever, without 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
auch 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 exam-
ination 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, adjudye, and
decide said cattle to be discased 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 bury 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 discase, as aforesaid, to other cattle.