H. B. 2391
(By Delegate Ryan)
[Introduced February 7, 1995; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section sixteen, article twenty,
chapter nineteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand
nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to when it is
lawful for a person to kill a dog.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section sixteen, article twenty, chapter nineteen of
the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one,
as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 20. DOGS AND CATS.
§19-20-16. Dog killing, wounding or warning livestock or
poultry - recovery of damages.
A person may kill a dog that he may see chasing, worrying,
wounding or killing any other person, sheep, lambs, goats,
kids, calves, cattle, swine, show or breeding rabbits, horses,
colts or poultry outside of the enclosure of the owner of the dog, unless the chasing or worrying be done by the direction of
the owner of the sheep, lambs, goats, kids, calves, cattle,
swine, show or breeding rabbits or horses and colts or poultry.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to permit a person to
kill a dog if that person observes the dog chasing, worrying,
wounding or killing any other person.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken
from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language
that would be added.