HB4748 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 19071 AAS 32516 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4748

Introduced , by Rep. Harry Benton

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

225 ILCS 605/3.6

Amends the Animal Welfare Act. In provisions concerning the acceptance of stray dogs and cats, provides that an animal shelter shall allow access to the public to view the animals housed there, and access to in-person viewing of the animals at the animal shelter shall not be restricted, except during emergency circumstances. Provides that "access to the public" means in-person access for any member of the public to view any impounded animal that is housed at an animal shelter during the animal shelter's regular hours of operation.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Animal Welfare Act is amended by changing Section 3.6 as follows:

(225 ILCS 605/3.6)

Sec. 3.6. Acceptance of stray dogs and cats.

(a) No animal shelter may accept a stray dog or cat unless the animal is reported by the shelter to the animal control or law enforcement of the county in which the animal is found by the next business day. An animal shelter may accept animals from: (1) the owner of the animal where the owner signs a relinquishment form which states he or she is the owner of the animal; (2) an animal shelter licensed under this Act; or (3) an out-of-state animal control facility, rescue group, or animal shelter that is duly licensed in their state or is a not-for-profit organization.

(b) When stray dogs and cats are accepted by an animal shelter, they must be scanned for the presence of a microchip and examined for other currently-acceptable methods of identification, including, but not limited to, identification tags, tattoos, and rabies license tags. The examination for identification shall be done within 24 hours after the intake of each dog or cat. The animal shelter shall notify the owner and transfer any dog with an identified owner to the animal control or law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction in which it was found or the local animal control agency for redemption.

(c) If no transfer can occur, the animal shelter shall make every reasonable attempt to contact the owner, agent, or caretaker as soon as possible. The animal shelter shall give notice of not less than 7 business days to the owner, agent, or caretaker prior to disposal of the animal. The notice shall be mailed to the last known address of the owner, agent, or caretaker. Testimony of the animal shelter, or its authorized agent, who mails the notice shall be evidence of the receipt of the notice by the owner, agent, or caretaker of the animal. A mailed notice shall remain the primary means of owner, agent, or caretaker contact; however, the animal shelter shall also attempt to contact the owner, agent, or caretaker by any other contact information, such as by telephone or email address, provided by the microchip or other method of identification found on the dog or cat. If the dog or cat has been microchipped and the primary contact listed by the chip manufacturer cannot be located or refuses to reclaim the dog or cat, an attempt shall be made to contact any secondary contacts listed by the chip manufacturer or the purchaser of the microchip if the purchaser is a nonprofit organization, animal shelter, animal control facility, pet store, breeder, or veterinary office prior to adoption, transfer, or euthanization. Prior to transferring any stray dog or cat to another humane shelter, pet store, rescue group, or euthanization, the dog or cat shall be scanned again for the presence of a microchip and examined for other means of identification. If a second scan provides the same identifying information as the initial intake scan and the owner, agent, or caretaker has not been located or refuses to reclaim the dog or cat, the animal shelter may proceed with adoption, transfer, or euthanization.

(d) When stray dogs and cats are accepted by an animal shelter and no owner can be identified, the shelter shall hold the animal for the period specified in local ordinance prior to adoption, transfer, or euthanasia. The animal shelter shall allow access to the public to view the animals housed there, and access to in-person viewing of the animals at the animal shelter shall not be restricted, except during emergency circumstances. If a dog is identified by an owner who desires to make redemption of it, the dog shall be transferred to the local animal control for redemption. If no transfer can occur, the animal shelter shall proceed pursuant to Section 3.7. Upon lapse of the hold period specified in local ordinance and no owner can be identified, ownership of the animal, by operation of law, transfers to the shelter that has custody of the animal.

For purposes of this subsection (d), "access to the public" means in-person access for any member of the public to view any impounded animal that is housed at an animal shelter during the animal shelter's regular hours of operation.

(e) No representative of an animal shelter may enter private property and remove an animal without permission from the property owner and animal owner, nor can any representative of an animal shelter direct another individual to enter private property and remove an animal unless that individual is an approved humane investigator (approved by the Department) operating pursuant to the provisions of the Humane Care for Animals Act.

(f) Nothing in this Section limits an animal shelter and an animal control facility who, through mutual agreement, wish to enter into an agreement for animal control, boarding, holding, measures to improve life-saving, or other services provided that the agreement requires parties adhere to the provisions of the Animal Control Act, the Humane Euthanasia in Animal Shelters Act, and the Humane Care for Animals Act.

(Source: P.A. 99-310, eff. 1-1-16; 100-322, eff. 8-24-17; 100-870, eff. 1-1-19.)