100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB4484

 

Introduced , by Rep. John M. Cabello

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
510 ILCS 5/15  from Ch. 8, par. 365
510 ILCS 5/15.1

    Amends the Animal Control Act. Provides that if the Administrator, State's Attorney, or Director has investigated and reasonably determines that a dog is a vicious dog, that official may file a complaint in the circuit court in the name of the People of the State of Illinois to deem a dog to be a vicious dog. Deletes language providing that a citizen of the county in which the dog exists may file a complaint to commence a hearing to deem a dog to be a vicious dog. Provides that the changes are only effective to causes of actions accruing on or after the effective date of the bill. Provides that after a thorough investigation including: sending, within 10 business days of the Administrator or Director becoming aware of the alleged infraction, notifications to the owner of the alleged infractions, the fact of the initiation of an investigation, and affording the owner an opportunity to meet with the Administrator or Director prior to the making of a determination; gathering of any medical or veterinary evidence; interviewing witnesses; and making a detailed written report, an animal control warden, deputy administrator, or law enforcement agent may, after determining that there exists probable cause to believe that a dog is a dangerous dog, ask the Administrator, or his or her designee, or the Director, to deem a dog to be "dangerous". Effective immediately.


LRB100 16146 SLF 31265 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4484LRB100 16146 SLF 31265 b

1    AN ACT concerning animals.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Animal Control Act is amended by changing
5Sections 15 and 15.1 as follows:
 
6    (510 ILCS 5/15)  (from Ch. 8, par. 365)
7    Sec. 15. Vicious Dogs.
8    (a) In order to have a dog deemed "vicious", the
9Administrator, Deputy Administrator, or law enforcement
10officer must give notice of the infraction that is the basis of
11the investigation to the owner, conduct a thorough
12investigation, interview any witnesses, including the owner,
13gather any existing medical records, veterinary medical
14records or behavioral evidence, and make a detailed report
15recommending a finding that the dog is a vicious dog and give
16the report to the State's Attorney's Office and the owner. If
17the The Administrator, State's Attorney, or Director has
18investigated and reasonably determines that a dog is a vicious
19dog as defined under Section 2.19b of this Act, that official
20or any citizen of the county in which the dog exists may file a
21complaint in the circuit court of the county in which the dog
22exists in the name of the People of the State of Illinois to
23deem a dog to be a vicious dog. Testimony of a certified

 

 

HB4484- 2 -LRB100 16146 SLF 31265 b

1applied behaviorist, a board certified veterinary behaviorist,
2or another recognized expert may be relevant to the court's
3determination of whether the dog's behavior was justified. The
4petitioner must prove the dog is a vicious dog by clear and
5convincing evidence. The Administrator shall determine where
6the animal shall be confined during the pendency of the case.
7    A dog may not be declared vicious if the court determines
8the conduct of the dog was justified because:
9        (1) the threat, injury, or death was sustained by a
10    person who at the time was committing a crime or offense
11    upon the owner or custodian of the dog, or was committing a
12    willful trespass or other tort upon the premises or
13    property owned or occupied by the owner of the animal;
14        (2) the injured, threatened, or killed person was
15    abusing, assaulting, or physically threatening the dog or
16    its offspring, or has in the past abused, assaulted, or
17    physically threatened the dog or its offspring; or
18        (3) the dog was responding to pain or injury, or was
19    protecting itself, its owner, custodian, or member of its
20    household, kennel, or offspring.
21    No dog shall be deemed "vicious" if it is a professionally
22trained dog for law enforcement or guard duties. Vicious dogs
23shall not be classified in a manner that is specific as to
24breed.
25    If the burden of proof has been met, the court shall deem
26the dog to be a vicious dog.

 

 

HB4484- 3 -LRB100 16146 SLF 31265 b

1    If a dog is found to be a vicious dog, the owner shall pay a
2$100 public safety fine to be deposited into the Pet Population
3Control Fund, the dog shall be spayed or neutered within 10
4days of the finding at the expense of its owner and
5microchipped, if not already, and the dog is subject to
6enclosure. If an owner fails to comply with these requirements,
7the animal control agency shall impound the dog and the owner
8shall pay a $500 fine plus impoundment fees to the animal
9control agency impounding the dog. The judge has the discretion
10to order a vicious dog be euthanized. A dog found to be a
11vicious dog shall not be released to the owner until the
12Administrator, an Animal Control Warden, or the Director
13approves the enclosure. No owner or keeper of a vicious dog
14shall sell or give away the dog without approval from the
15Administrator or court. Whenever an owner of a vicious dog
16relocates, he or she shall notify both the Administrator of
17County Animal Control where he or she has relocated and the
18Administrator of County Animal Control where he or she formerly
19resided.
20    (b) It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain
21any dog which has been found to be a vicious dog unless the dog
22is kept in an enclosure. The only times that a vicious dog may
23be allowed out of the enclosure are (1) if it is necessary for
24the owner or keeper to obtain veterinary care for the dog, (2)
25in the case of an emergency or natural disaster where the dog's
26life is threatened, or (3) to comply with the order of a court

 

 

HB4484- 4 -LRB100 16146 SLF 31265 b

1of competent jurisdiction, provided that the dog is securely
2muzzled and restrained with a leash not exceeding 6 feet in
3length, and shall be under the direct control and supervision
4of the owner or keeper of the dog or muzzled in its residence.
5    Any dog which has been found to be a vicious dog and which
6is not confined to an enclosure shall be impounded by the
7Administrator, an Animal Control Warden, or the law enforcement
8authority having jurisdiction in such area.
9    If the owner of the dog has not appealed the impoundment
10order to the circuit court in the county in which the animal
11was impounded within 15 working days, the dog may be
12euthanized.
13    Upon filing a notice of appeal, the order of euthanasia
14shall be automatically stayed pending the outcome of the
15appeal. The owner shall bear the burden of timely notification
16to animal control in writing.
17    Guide dogs for the blind or hearing impaired, support dogs
18for persons with physical disabilities, accelerant detection
19dogs, and sentry, guard, or police-owned dogs are exempt from
20this Section; provided, an attack or injury to a person occurs
21while the dog is performing duties as expected. To qualify for
22exemption under this Section, each such dog shall be currently
23inoculated against rabies in accordance with Section 8 of this
24Act. It shall be the duty of the owner of such exempted dog to
25notify the Administrator of changes of address. In the case of
26a sentry or guard dog, the owner shall keep the Administrator

 

 

HB4484- 5 -LRB100 16146 SLF 31265 b

1advised of the location where such dog will be stationed. The
2Administrator shall provide police and fire departments with a
3categorized list of such exempted dogs, and shall promptly
4notify such departments of any address changes reported to him.
5    (c) If the animal control agency has custody of the dog,
6the agency may file a petition with the court requesting that
7the owner be ordered to post security. The security must be in
8an amount sufficient to secure payment of all reasonable
9expenses expected to be incurred by the animal control agency
10or animal shelter in caring for and providing for the dog
11pending the determination. Reasonable expenses include, but
12are not limited to, estimated medical care and boarding of the
13animal for 30 days. If security has been posted in accordance
14with this Section, the animal control agency may draw from the
15security the actual costs incurred by the agency in caring for
16the dog.
17    (d) Upon receipt of a petition, the court must set a
18hearing on the petition, to be conducted within 5 business days
19after the petition is filed. The petitioner must serve a true
20copy of the petition upon the defendant.
21    (e) If the court orders the posting of security, the
22security must be posted with the clerk of the court within 5
23business days after the hearing. If the person ordered to post
24security does not do so, the dog is forfeited by operation of
25law and the animal control agency must dispose of the animal
26through adoption or humane euthanization.

 

 

HB4484- 6 -LRB100 16146 SLF 31265 b

1    (f) The changes to this Section made by this amendatory Act
2of the 100th General Assembly apply only to causes of action
3accruing on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act
4of the 100th General Assembly.
5(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15; 99-642, eff. 7-28-16.)
 
6    (510 ILCS 5/15.1)
7    Sec. 15.1. Dangerous dog determination.
8    (a) After a thorough investigation including: sending,
9within 10 business days of the Administrator or Director
10becoming aware of the alleged infraction, notifications to the
11owner of the alleged infractions, the fact of the initiation of
12an investigation, and affording the owner an opportunity to
13meet with the Administrator or Director prior to the making of
14a determination; gathering of any medical or veterinary
15evidence; interviewing witnesses; and making a detailed
16written report, an animal control warden, deputy
17administrator, or law enforcement agent may, after determining
18that there exists probable cause to believe that a dog is a
19dangerous dog, ask the Administrator, or his or her designee,
20or the Director, to deem a dog to be "dangerous". No dog shall
21be deemed a "dangerous dog" unless shown to be a dangerous dog
22by a preponderance of evidence. The owner shall be sent
23immediate notification of the determination by registered or
24certified mail that includes a complete description of the
25appeal process.

 

 

HB4484- 7 -LRB100 16146 SLF 31265 b

1    (b) A dog shall not be declared dangerous if the
2Administrator, or his or her designee, or the Director
3determines the conduct of the dog was justified because:
4        (1) the threat was sustained by a person who at the
5    time was committing a crime or offense upon the owner or
6    custodian of the dog or was committing a willful trespass
7    or other tort upon the premises or property occupied by the
8    owner of the animal;
9        (2) the threatened person was abusing, assaulting, or
10    physically threatening the dog or its offspring;
11        (3) the injured, threatened, or killed companion
12    animal was attacking or threatening to attack the dog or
13    its offspring; or
14        (4) the dog was responding to pain or injury or was
15    protecting itself, its owner, custodian, or a member of its
16    household, kennel, or offspring.
17    (c) Testimony of a certified applied behaviorist, a board
18certified veterinary behaviorist, or another recognized expert
19may be relevant to the determination of whether the dog's
20behavior was justified pursuant to the provisions of this
21Section.
22    (d) If deemed dangerous, the Administrator, or his or her
23designee, or the Director shall order (i) the dog's owner to
24pay a $50 public safety fine to be deposited into the Pet
25Population Control Fund, (ii) the dog to be spayed or neutered
26within 14 days at the owner's expense and microchipped, if not

 

 

HB4484- 8 -LRB100 16146 SLF 31265 b

1already, and (iii) one or more of the following as deemed
2appropriate under the circumstances and necessary for the
3protection of the public:
4        (1) evaluation of the dog by a certified applied
5    behaviorist, a board certified veterinary behaviorist, or
6    another recognized expert in the field and completion of
7    training or other treatment as deemed appropriate by the
8    expert. The owner of the dog shall be responsible for all
9    costs associated with evaluations and training ordered
10    under this subsection; or
11        (2) direct supervision by an adult 18 years of age or
12    older whenever the animal is on public premises.
13    (e) The Administrator may order a dangerous dog to be
14muzzled whenever it is on public premises in a manner that will
15prevent it from biting any person or animal, but that shall not
16injure the dog or interfere with its vision or respiration.
17    (f) Guide dogs for the blind or hearing impaired, support
18dogs for persons with a physical disability, and sentry, guard,
19or police-owned dogs are exempt from this Section; provided, an
20attack or injury to a person occurs while the dog is performing
21duties as expected. To qualify for exemption under this
22Section, each such dog shall be currently inoculated against
23rabies in accordance with Section 8 of this Act and performing
24duties as expected. It shall be the duty of the owner of the
25exempted dog to notify the Administrator of changes of address.
26In the case of a sentry or guard dog, the owner shall keep the

 

 

HB4484- 9 -LRB100 16146 SLF 31265 b

1Administrator advised of the location where such dog will be
2stationed. The Administrator shall provide police and fire
3departments with a categorized list of the exempted dogs, and
4shall promptly notify the departments of any address changes
5reported to him or her.
6    (g) An animal control agency has the right to impound a
7dangerous dog if the owner fails to comply with the
8requirements of this Act.
9(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)
 
10    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
11becoming law.