The Commissioner shall employ and direct a veterinarian who shall be known as the State Veterinarian, whose duties shall be to carry out the laws of the Commonwealth and the regulations of the Board and the Commissioner. The State Veterinarian and his representatives shall have the power to carry into effect all lawful orders given by the Board or the Commissioner.
The State Veterinarian may deputize, for a specific period of time, licensed veterinarians, veterinarians employed by the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, and veterinarians in the employment of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Va. Code § 3.2-5901