| ||||
Public Act 103-0490 | ||||
| ||||
| ||||
AN ACT concerning animals.
| ||||
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
| ||||
represented in the General Assembly:
| ||||
Section 5. The Humane Care for Animals Act is amended by | ||||
changing Section 3.04 as follows:
| ||||
(510 ILCS 70/3.04)
| ||||
Sec. 3.04. Arrests and seizures; penalties.
| ||||
(a) Any law enforcement officer making an arrest for an | ||||
offense involving
one or more companion animals under Section | ||||
3.01, 3.02, 3.03, 3.03-1, 4.01, 4.03, 4.04, 6, or 7.1 , or 7.15 | ||||
of this Act
may lawfully take possession of some or all of the | ||||
companion animals in the
possession of the person arrested. | ||||
The officer, after taking possession of the
companion animals, | ||||
must file with the court before whom the complaint is made
| ||||
against any person so arrested an affidavit stating the name | ||||
of the person
charged in the complaint, a description of the | ||||
condition of the companion
animal or companion animals taken, | ||||
and the time and place the companion animal
or companion | ||||
animals were taken, together with the name of the person from
| ||||
whom the companion animal or companion animals were taken and | ||||
name of the
person who claims to own the companion animal or | ||||
companion animals if different
from the person from whom the | ||||
companion animal or companion animals were
seized. He or she |
must at the same time deliver an inventory of the companion
| ||
animal or companion animals taken to the court of competent | ||
jurisdiction. The
officer must place the companion animal or | ||
companion animals in the custody of
an animal control or | ||
animal shelter and the agency must retain custody of the
| ||
companion animal or companion animals subject to an order of | ||
the court
adjudicating the charges on the merits and before | ||
which the person complained
against is required to appear for | ||
trial. If the animal control or animal shelter owns no | ||
facility capable of housing the companion animals, has no | ||
space to house the companion animals, or is otherwise unable | ||
to house the companion animals or the health or condition of | ||
the animals prevents their removal, the animals shall be | ||
impounded at the site of the violation pursuant to a court | ||
order authorizing the impoundment, provided that the person | ||
charged is an owner of the property. Employees or agents of the | ||
animal control or animal shelter or law enforcement shall have | ||
the authority to access the on-site impoundment property for | ||
the limited purpose of providing care and veterinary treatment | ||
for the impounded animals and ensuring their well-being and | ||
safety. Upon impoundment, a petition for posting of security | ||
may be filed under Section 3.05 of this Act. Disposition of the | ||
animals shall be controlled by Section 3.06 of this Act. The | ||
State's Attorney may, within 14
days after the seizure, file a | ||
"petition for forfeiture prior to trial" before
the court | ||
having criminal jurisdiction over the alleged charges, asking |
for
permanent forfeiture of the companion animals seized. The | ||
petition shall be
filed with the court, with copies served on | ||
the impounding agency, the owner,
and anyone claiming an | ||
interest in the animals. In a "petition for forfeiture
prior | ||
to trial", the burden is on the prosecution to prove by a | ||
preponderance
of the evidence that the person arrested | ||
violated Section 3.01, 3.02, 3.03, 3.03-1,
4.01, 4.03, 4.04, | ||
6, or 7.1 , or 7.15 of this Act or Section 26-5 or 48-1 of the | ||
Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012.
| ||
(b) An owner whose companion animal or companion animals | ||
are removed by a
law enforcement officer under this Section | ||
must be given written notice of
the circumstances of the | ||
removal and of any legal remedies available to him
or her. The | ||
notice must be delivered in person, posted at the place of | ||
seizure, or delivered to
a person residing at the place of | ||
seizure or, if the address of the owner is
different from the | ||
address of the person from whom the companion animal or
| ||
companion animals were seized, delivered by registered mail to | ||
his or her last
known address.
| ||
(c) In addition to any other penalty provided by law, upon | ||
conviction of or being placed on supervision for
violating | ||
Sections 3, 3.01, 3.02, 3.03, 3.03-1, 4.01, 4.03, 4.04, 6, or | ||
7.1 , or 7.15 of this Act or Section 26-5 or 48-1 of the | ||
Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012, the court | ||
may order the convicted
person convicted or placed on | ||
supervision to forfeit to an animal control or animal shelter
|
the animal
or animals that are the basis of the conviction or | ||
order for supervision . Upon an order of
forfeiture, the | ||
convicted person convicted or placed on supervision is deemed | ||
to have permanently
relinquished all rights to the animal or | ||
animals that are the basis of the
conviction or order for | ||
supervision , if not already. The forfeited animal or animals | ||
shall be adopted or humanely
euthanized. In no event may the | ||
convicted person convicted or placed on supervision, or anyone | ||
residing in
his or her household be permitted to adopt or | ||
otherwise possess the forfeited animal or animals.
The court, | ||
additionally, may order that the convicted person convicted or | ||
placed on supervision, and persons
dwelling in the same | ||
household as the convicted person convicted or placed on | ||
supervision who conspired, aided, or
abetted in the
unlawful | ||
act that was the basis of the conviction or order for | ||
supervision , or who knew or should
have known of the unlawful | ||
act, may not own, possess, harbor, or have custody or
control | ||
of any other animals for a period of time that the court deems
| ||
reasonable , up to and including permanent relinquishment .
| ||
(d) In addition to any other penalty, the court may order | ||
that a person and persons dwelling in the same household may | ||
not own, harbor, or have custody or control of any other animal | ||
if the person has been convicted of 2 or more of the following | ||
offenses: | ||
(1) a violation of Section 3.02 of this Act; | ||
(2) a violation of Section 4.01 of this Act; or |
(3) a violation of Section 48-1 of the Criminal Code | ||
of 2012. | ||
(e) A person who violates the prohibition against owning, | ||
possessing, harboring, having custody, or having control of
| ||
animals is subject to immediate forfeiture of any animal
| ||
illegally owned in violation of subsection (c). A person who
| ||
owns, possesses, harbors, has custody, or has control of an
| ||
animal in violation of an order issued under subsection (c) is
| ||
also subject to the civil and criminal contempt power of the
| ||
court and, if found guilty of criminal contempt, may be
| ||
subject to imprisonment for not more than 90 days, a fine of | ||
not more than $2,500, or both. | ||
(Source: P.A. 102-114, eff. 1-1-22 .)
| ||
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law. |