§20-2-16. Dogs chasing deer.
No person may permit his or her dog to hunt or chase deer. A natural resources police officer shall take into possession any dog known to have hunted or chased deer and the director shall advertise that the dog is in his or her possession, giving a description of the dog and stating the circumstances under which it was taken. The notice shall be published as a Class I legal advertisement in compliance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code, and the publication area for the publication is the county. He or she shall hold the dog for a period of ten days after the date of the publication. If, within ten days, the owner does not claim the dog, the director shall destroy it. In this event the cost of keeping and advertising shall be paid by the director. If, within ten days, the owner claims the dog, he or she may repossess it on the payment of costs of advertising and the cost of keep, not exceeding 50¢ per day. A natural resources police officer, or any officer or employee of the director authorized to enforce the provisions of this section, after a bona fide but unsuccessful effort to capture dogs detected chasing or pursuing deer, may kill the dogs.

Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2012 1st Special Session