State profile
Virginia
1,380 animal cruelty offenses were reported in Virginia in 2025, or 15.5 per 100,000 residents served by NIBRS agencies, the 9th highest rate of 49 comparable states.
Trend
Reported offenses over time
Lighter bars mark years when NIBRS agencies served less than 60% of residents.
Offenses per year
Monthly offenses
| Year | Total offenses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 20 |
| 2019 | 1,398 |
| 2020 | 1,179 |
| 2021 | 1,197 |
| 2022 | 1,263 |
| 2023 | 1,222 |
| 2024 | 1,543 |
| 2025 | 1,380 |
| Year | Offenses | Per 100,000 | Clearance rate | Coverage | Agencies in FBI tables | Agencies with cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,380 | 15.54 | 36% | 100.0% | 404 | 120 |
| 2024 | 1,543 | 17.53 | 35% | 99.9% | 378 | 111 |
| 2023 | 1,222 | 14.03 | 35% | 99.9% | 373 | 100 |
| 2022 | 1,263 | 14.56 | 31% | 99.9% | 322 | 99 |
| 2021 | 1,197 | 13.86 | 34% | 99.9% | 340 | 111 |
| 2020 | 1,179 | 13.73 | 29% | 99.9% | 317 | 85 |
| 2019 | 1,398 | 16.39 | 24% | 99.9% | — | — |
| 2018 | 20 | 0.23 | 20% | 100.0% | — | — |
| 2017 | 6 | 0.07 | 33% | 99.9% | — | — |
| 2016 | 7 | 0.08 | 0% | 100.0% | — | — |
Source FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), via the Crime Data Explorer. Retrieved September 30, 2026. Methodology & downloads.
Agencies
Agencies reporting the most cases in 2025
| # | Agency | Type | County | 2025 | 2020–2025 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia Beach Police Department VA1280000 | City police | Virginia Beach City | 215 | 1,176 | |
| 2 | Chesterfield County Police Department VA0210100 | County | Chesterfield | 152 | 1,292 | |
| 3 | Prince William County Police Department VA0750300 | County | Prince William | 83 | 444 | |
| 4 | Hampton Police Department VA1110000 | City police | Hampton City | 63 | 294 | |
| 5 | Chesapeake Police Department VA1030000 | City police | Chesapeake City | 55 | 378 | |
| 6 | Roanoke Police Department VA1230000 | City police | Roanoke City | 45 | 185 | |
| 7 | Loudoun County Sheriff's Office VA0530000 | County | Loudoun | 42 | 200 | |
| 8 | New Kent County Sheriff's Office VA0630000 | County | New Kent | 38 | 319 | |
| 9 | Norfolk Police Department VA1170000 | City police | Norfolk City | 37 | 108 | |
| 10 | Richmond Police Department VA1220000 | City police | Richmond City | 33 | 166 | |
| 11 | Frederick County Sheriff's Office VA0340000 | County | Frederick | 29 | 123 | |
| 12 | Powhatan County Sheriff's Office VA0720000 | County | Powhatan | 29 | 67 | |
| 13 | Fairfax County Police Department VA0290100 | County | Fairfax | 28 | 432 | |
| 14 | Henrico County Police Department VA0430100 | County | Henrico | 27 | 69 | |
| 15 | Shenandoah County Sheriff's Office VA0850000 | County | Shenandoah | 24 | 30 |
Source FBI NIBRS Tables: Offense Type by Agency, 2020–2025; ORIs from the FBI agency directory. Retrieved September 30, 2026. Methodology & downloads.
Official animal abuser registries
We are not aware of a government-run animal abuser registry in Virginia. Know of one? Tell us.
IROPO links to these registries and does not copy their listings.
Agency directory
The FBI lists 412 law enforcement agencies in Virginia, 412 of which report through NIBRS.
Browse Virginia agencies