The 2026 Virginia Humane Scorecard is now available online. On the heels of the 2025 election, which produced not only a new Governor but a significant chamber turnover, Virginia’s elected officials continue to show up for animals.

The scorecard highlights several pieces of pro-animal legislation that passed into law, including bills prohibiting premature separation of wild animals separated from their mothers in captivity, connecting veterinarians to shelters, and banning the devocalization of dogs.

Critical bills to expand pet-inclusive housing and empower localities to regulate pet stores did not become law but still garnered significant support in the House of Delegates. Humane World Action Fund will continue to push them forward—and we encourage you to do the same.

The 2026 Virginia Humane Scorecard is the fourth consecutive one the Action Fund has published in the Commonwealth. As animal advocates, we continue showing up, building pro-animal coalitions, and working to enact policies that take us still further in our efforts to end animal cruelty. We encourage you to review the scorecard, thank lawmakers with compassionate track records, and lobby those with room to improve.

Using the Scorecard

This year’s scorecard includes bills that were considered by the Virginia General Assembly. Here is a list of each bill and how to read the scorecard.

• Pet-Inclusive Housing (HB 1415): A ✓ indicates a vote in support of HB 1415, which requires any multifamily residential development built with public funds to allow residents to keep at least one common household pet—with no breed restriction and a weight limit of 65 pounds—and requires landlords subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to disclose pet terms with any rental application. Pet-inclusive housing keeps families and their animals together and reduces the shelter surrenders that housing barriers cause. It was sponsored by Del. Charlie Schmidt.
• Local Authority Over Pet-Shop Sales (HB 1238): A ✓ indicates a vote in support of HB 1238, which authorizes any locality, by ordinance, to require a permit for, regulate, or prohibit the retail sale of animals in pet shops and by companion animal dealers, with the permit fee capped at $50 per year and revenues dedicated to enforcement. The bill restores local authority to curb the sale of puppy-mill-sourced animals and to set humane standards community by community. It was sponsored by Del. Irene Shin.
• Diamondback Terrapin Protection (HB 1013): A ✓ indicates a vote in support of HB 1013, which directs the Marine Resources Commission—working with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the Crab Management Advisory Committee—to establish diamondback terrapin protection areas in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries and to require bycatch reduction devices on recreational crab pots within those areas, with a Class 3 misdemeanor for violations. Terrapins drown by the thousands in crab pots; inexpensive excluder devices nearly eliminate that bycatch while helping protect the marshes terrapins depend on. The bill was sponsored by Del. Kathy Tran.
• Permit to Hunt with Dogs (HB 1396): A ✓ indicates a vote in support of HB 1396, which directs the Department of Wildlife Resources to establish permits for individuals and organizations that hunt game animals, fur-bearing animals, and nuisance species with dogs; makes it unlawful to release a dog to hunt across real property without a permit; and sets civil penalties for violations. Exemptions include mounted fox hunting, waterfowl and bird hunting, tracking wounded game, dogs kept in the hunter's immediate control, and public hunting lands. Sponsored by Del. Marty Martinez.
• Premature Separation & Hybridization of Captive Wildlife (HB 112/SB 344): A ✓ indicates a vote in support of HB 112/SB 344, which makes it unlawful to prematurely separate captive-born mammalian wildlife from their mothers before four months of age (with an exception for documented medical necessity ordered by a licensed veterinarian). It also makes it unlawful to intentionally propagate wildlife of different species (hybridization) for commercial purposes. Exemptions cover agricultural animals, accredited zoological facilities, and licensed wildlife rehabilitators. The bill targets unaccredited roadside menageries that tear still-nursing infants from their mothers for public encounters and sale. It was sponsored by Sen. Jennifer Boysko and Del. Amy Laufer.
• Shelter Veterinarian Licensure (HB 1287): A ✓ indicates a vote in support of HB 1287, which directs the Board of Veterinary Medicine to amend its licensure and renewal applications so applicants can indicate interest in serving as a veterinarian for public or private animal shelters, and to provide a quarterly list of those veterinarians to shelters through the State Veterinarian. The measure helps under-resourced shelters connect with veterinarians and expand access to care. It was sponsored by Del. Laura Jane Cohen.
• Dog Devocalization Ban (SB 707): A ✓ indicates a vote in support of SB 707, which prohibits performing a surgical devocalization (“debarking”) procedure on a dog except in narrow circumstances—where training and electronic anti-bark devices have proven ineffective and the surgery is necessary to keep the dog from being rehomed because of excessive barking. A first violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor and a repeat offense within 36 months is a Class 6 felony; veterinarians who perform the procedure must keep a record for four years. Devocalization is a painful procedure that silences a dog without addressing the cause of the barking. The bill was sponsored by Sen. J.D. Diggs.
• Veterinary Traineeship (SB 331): A ✓ indicates a vote in support of SB 331, which expands the Board of Veterinary Medicine's veterinary traineeship pathway—allowing a veterinary medicine licensure applicant to engage in the limited practice of veterinary medicine under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian. The measure strengthens Virginia's veterinary workforce pipeline and access to animal care. It was sponsored by Sen. Danica Roem.
• Malicious Killing Penalty (SB 261): A ✓ indicates a vote in support of SB 261. The bill would strengthen Virginia's animal cruelty laws by making it a Class 6 felony to maliciously kill a companion dog or cat, regardless of whether the animal belongs to the offender or to someone else. Under current law, a felony penalty applies only when a person commits certain acts of extreme cruelty that result in serious injury, death, or euthanasia. This bill expands the law to specifically criminalize the malicious killing of a companion dog or cat as a felony on its own. It was sponsored by Sen. Bill Stanley.

About our methodology

Humane World Action Fund acknowledges the limitations of judging legislators based on a few votes on animal issues, however important those bills may be. In some cases, legislators must miss votes for unavoidable reasons, such as a death in the family, serious illness, birth of a child or emergency in their district. It is also true that some bills may have good intentions but include problematic language or have unintended legal consequences.

In fact, there are many potential reasons why a legislator votes a certain way— and that is even more reason for you to engage with elected officials directly and ask them about their positions.

Finally, in assessing the record of your representatives, and your strategy for engaging them in the future, you should consider unrecorded matters such as committee participation and performance, House or Senate leadership posts, constituent engagement and responsiveness, along with other animal protection bills not included in this scorecard.

The full 2026 Virginia Humane Scorecard, and scorecards from previous sessions, can be found online at humaneaction.org/state-scorecards.

Humane World Action Fund urges Virginians to review the 2026 Virginia Humane Scorecard, share it with other folks who care about animals, and encourage them to make sure that they engage with their representatives on animal welfare issues. Together, we can make an even greater difference for animals.