Virginia Beach is moving to create a public database of individuals convicted of animal cruelty, a move that would allow the city to vet potential pet adopters and alert the public to offenders in their community. If approved, the registry could be operational by February, following a model established by the neighboring city of Chesapeake.
Chesapeake sets the regional precedent
Virginia Beach isn’t inventing this wheel; they are following a blueprint. Chesapeake launched the region’s first public database this fall, tracking felony convictions dating back to January 2009. That registry serves as a warning system, though it remains narrow in scope—it excludes misdemeanors, arrests, or pending cases, focusing only on those already convicted of the most serious crimes.
The legal foundation for these lists comes from a Virginia state law passed in 2024. This legislation grants localities the authority to compile computerized registries for specific felony convictions, including animal fighting, poisoning, maiming, or the killing of police animals. Under current rules, a person can petition for removal from such a registry after 15 years, provided they have no subsequent felony convictions.
Broadening the definition of cruelty
While the state law provides the floor, Councilman Michael Berlucchi wants Virginia Beach to build a higher ceiling. He is pushing for the city to go beyond the state’s felony-only requirement. Berlucchi is advocating for the authority to include people convicted of misdemeanor animal cruelty and those who have been legally barred from possessing companion animals.
“It’s just another step that we can take to ensure that there’s less animal cruelty in our city and throughout the region,” Berlucchi said during a recent meeting.
To make this expansion a reality, Berlucchi has requested that the proposal be added to the city’s draft legislative agenda for the 2027 General Assembly session.
The pressure on animal services
Chris Mauldin, the city’s animal services administrator, recently provided a snapshot of the operation at the Animal Care and Adoption Center on South Birdneck Road. The facility typically houses over 200 animals daily, managed by a lean team of 11 caretakers.
The numbers from the previous year illustrate the scale of the challenge. In 2025, the center took in 4,617 animals—including 2,203 dogs and 1,912 cats—and facilitated 1,968 adoptions. The animal protection unit, which handles everything from strays to cruelty investigations, fielded 14,727 service calls that year.
Mauldin noted an uptick in poultry intakes (237 animals) resulting from an alleged cockfighting operation near Back Bay.
City uses volunteers and inmates to reduce euthanasia
Last year, the police department reported that 539 animals were euthanized. Mauldin maintains that this is a last resort, reserved for severe medical conditions or behavior that poses a genuine threat to public safety.
To mitigate these numbers, the city relies on a hybrid model of public and private support. Volunteers handle the socialization and behavioral training that staff cannot fit into their shifts, while eligible inmates from the Sheriff’s Office provide community service hours. The city also coordinates with the Virginia Beach SPCA, a private nonprofit that has operated since 1966 to provide affordable veterinary care and additional sheltering.
For residents, the bureau functions as more than a shelter. It operates a pet pantry for those in financial hardship and offers crisis boarding for emergencies, acknowledging that poverty is often a driver of animal surrender, whereas cruelty is a driver of the registry.
City Council votes on expanded registry powers request
The Virginia Beach City Council is scheduled to vote on the legislative agenda on Nov. 17, which will determine if the city will formally ask the state for expanded registry powers in 2027.
