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Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session

Virginia SB 344

Mammalian wildlife; premature separation and hybridization prohibited, exceptions.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Passed House
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Cosponsors (1)

Summary

Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED

Department of Wildlife Resources; premature separation and hybridization of mammalian wildlife prohibited; exceptions. Makes it unlawful to prematurely separate any mammalian wildlife offspring born in captivity from the mother prior to the offspring turning four months of age, except that wildlife offspring may be prematurely separated if a medical necessity exists pursuant to a written order from a veterinarian with appropriate species-specific experience and expertise licensed to practice in the Commonwealth. The bill excludes the following from its provisions: (i) agricultural animals; (ii) noncommercial transfers or trades between accredited zoological facilities; (iii) an accredited zoological facility, as defined in the bill, that retains the mammalian wildlife offspring separated by such zoological facility; (iv) the Department of Wildlife Resources, a person operating under a wildlife rehabilitator, scientific collection, or endangered and threatened species permit approved by the Department, or a person operating under a species recovery plan approved by the Department; (v) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; or (vi) any person rendering emergency neonatal aide, including the temporary separation of up to 72 hours until a licensed veterinarian can be engaged for assessment and treatment. The bill also makes it unlawful to intentionally and for commercial purposes propagate mammalian wildlife of different species, also known as hybridization. This bill is identical to HB 112.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 14, 2026, 12:15 PM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Mar 2, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 25, 2026
House		Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural ResourcespassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 9, 2026
Senate		Passage RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 5, 2026
Senate		Constitutional reading dispensed RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 3, 2026
Senate		Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see

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