CHAPTER 55

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
29-184.2, to provide in certain counties for the enforcement of the
dog laws; to transfer certain powers in such connection from game

- wardens and to confer same upon dog wardens and deputy dog
wardens; to provide for the appointment of dog wardens and deputy
dog wardens, their terms of office, powers, duties and compensation;
and to authorize the setting of dog license tax rates in certain counties
and the disposition of the proceeds thereof. '

H 49

Approved February 18, 1952

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia be amended by adding a section numbered
29-184.2, as follows:

§ 29-184.2. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in any
county having, according to the last United States Census, a population
in excess of forty-five thousand but not in excess of fifty thousand, and in
any county having a population in excess of twenty-six thousand seven
hundred but not in excess of twenty-six thousand nine hundred, the
enforcement of the dog laws shall 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 from a list of not less than three nor more than five
persons nominated by the governing body of the county 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 so ap-
point, from a similar list of not less than three nor more than seven per-
sons, such number of deputy dog wardens as are requested by the govern-
ing body. Such deputy dog wardens shall have the powers and duties of
a dog warden. The dog warden and députy 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 com-
pensation as the governing body of the county may prescribe.

(b) The lists of nominations so made by such governing body shall
be submitted to the court or the judge thereof in vacation not later than
the fifteenth day of June of each year and 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 ordi-
nance 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,
provided that (1) the amount payable to the State Treasury as the State’s
share of the dog license taxes shall not in any year be less than an average
of the amount so paid in any such county for the fiscal years nineteen
hundred forty-nine and nineteen hundred fifty; (2) the governing body,
from the local share of the dog license taxes, shall continue to make
allowances to the game warden in at least the amount contributed by
such county in the year nineteen hundred fifty toward the salary of
a game warden; (3) the county shall pay the salaries and expenses
of the dog warden and deputy dog wardens from such special fund;
and (4) the sum so 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.

(d) All other provisions of Chap 9 of Title 29 shall apply mutatis
mutandis to any such county and dog wardens and deputy dog wardens

erein.