Vermont Statutes Title 20 Sec. 3545
Terms Used In Vermont Statutes Title 20 Sec. 3545
- Domestic: when applied to a corporation, company, association, or copartnership shall mean organized under the laws of this State; "foreign" when so applied, shall mean organized under the laws of another state, government, or country. See
- Domestic animal: means those animals defined by 6 V. See
- Owner: means any person who owns a domestic pet or wolf-hybrid and includes any person who has actual or constructive possession of the pet or wolf-hybrid. See
- Person: shall include any natural person, corporation, municipality, the State of Vermont or any department, agency, or subdivision of the State, and any partnership, unincorporated association, or other legal entity. See
- pet: means any domestic dogs, domestic cats, and ferrets. See
- Wolf-hybrid: means an animal that is the progeny or descendant of a domestic dog (Canis familiaris) and a wolf (Canis lupus or Canis rufus). See
§ 3545. Right to kill domestic pets or wolf-hybrids generally
(a) A person may kill a domestic pet or wolf-hybrid that suddenly assaults him or her or when necessary to discontinue an attack upon the person, or another person, provided that the attack or assault does not occur while the domestic pet or wolf-hybrid is restrained, within an enclosure containing the domestic pet or wolf-hybrid, or on the premises of the owner.
(b) A domestic pet or wolf-hybrid found wounding, killing, or worrying another domestic pet or wolf-hybrid, a domestic animal, or fowl may be killed when the attendant circumstances are such that the killing is reasonably necessary to prevent injury to the animal or fowl that is the subject of the attack. (Amended 1977, No. 215 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. April 12, 1978; 1979, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Feb. 28, 1980; 1993, No. 213 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. June 15, 1994.)