HB3614eng 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB3614 Engrossed LRB095 08978 CMK 31755 b

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 Sections 3.04 and 4.01 and by adding Section 17 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, or 3.03 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. 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, or 4.01 of this Act or Section 26-5 of the Criminal Code of 1961.

(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 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 for violating Sections 3, 3.01, 3.02, or 3.03 the court may order the convicted person to forfeit to an animal control or animal shelter the animal or animals that are the basis of the conviction. Upon an order of forfeiture, the convicted person is deemed to have permanently relinquished all rights to the animal or animals that are the basis of the conviction. The forfeited animal or animals shall be adopted or humanely euthanized. In no event may the convicted person or anyone residing in his or her household be permitted to adopt the forfeited animal or animals. The court, additionally, may order that the convicted person and persons dwelling in the same household as the convicted person who conspired, aided, or abetted in the unlawful act that was the basis of the conviction, or who knew or should have known of the unlawful act, may not own, harbor, or have custody or control of any other animals for a period of time that the court deems reasonable.

(Source: P.A. 92-454, eff. 1-1-02; 92-650, eff. 7-11-02.)

(510 ILCS 70/4.01) (from Ch. 8, par. 704.01)

Sec. 4.01. Animals in entertainment. This Section does not apply when the only animals involved are dogs. (Section 26-5 of the Criminal Code of 1961, rather than this Section, applies when the only animals involved are dogs.)

(a) No person may own, capture, breed, train, or lease any animal which he or she knows or should know is intended for use in any show, exhibition, program, or other activity featuring or otherwise involving a fight between such animal and any other animal or human, or the intentional killing of any animal for the purpose of sport, wagering, or entertainment.

(b) No person shall promote, conduct, carry on, advertise, collect money for or in any other manner assist or aid in the presentation for purposes of sport, wagering, or entertainment, any show, exhibition, program, or other activity involving a fight between 2 or more animals or any animal and human, or the intentional killing of any animal.

(c) No person shall sell or offer for sale, ship, transport, or otherwise move, or deliver or receive any animal which he or she knows or should know has been captured, bred, or trained, or will be used, to fight another animal or human or be intentionally killed, for the purpose of sport, wagering, or entertainment.

(d) No person shall manufacture for sale, shipment, transportation or delivery any device or equipment which that person knows or should know is intended for use in any show, exhibition, program, or other activity featuring or otherwise involving a fight between 2 or more animals, or any human and animal, or the intentional killing of any animal for purposes of sport, wagering or entertainment.

(e) No person shall own, possess, sell or offer for sale, ship, transport, or otherwise move any equipment or device which such person knows or should know is intended for use in connection with any show, exhibition, program, or activity featuring or otherwise involving a fight between 2 or more animals, or any animal and human, or the intentional killing of any animal for purposes of sport, wagering or entertainment.

(f) No person shall make available any site, structure, or facility, whether enclosed or not, which he or she knows or should know is intended to be used for the purpose of conducting any show, exhibition, program, or other activity involving a fight between 2 or more animals, or any animal and human, or the intentional killing of any animal.

(g) No person shall attend or otherwise patronize any show, exhibition, program, or other activity featuring or otherwise involving a fight between 2 or more animals, or any animal and human, or the intentional killing of any animal for the purposes of sport, wagering or entertainment.

(h) (Blank).

(i) Any animals or equipment involved in a violation of this Section shall be immediately seized and impounded under Section 12 by the Department when located at any show, exhibition, program, or other activity featuring or otherwise involving an animal fight for the purposes of sport, wagering, or entertainment.

(j) Any vehicle or conveyance other than a common carrier that is used in violation of this Section shall be seized, held, and offered for sale at public auction by the sheriff's department of the proper jurisdiction, and the proceeds from the sale shall be remitted to the general fund of the county where the violation took place.

(k) Any veterinarian in this State who is presented with an animal for treatment of injuries or wounds resulting from fighting where there is a reasonable possibility that the animal was engaged in or utilized for a fighting event for the purposes of sport, wagering, or entertainment shall file a report with the Department and cooperate by furnishing the owners' names, dates, and descriptions of the animal or animals involved. Any veterinarian who in good faith complies with the requirements of this subsection has immunity from any liability, civil, criminal, or otherwise, that may result from his or her actions. For the purposes of any proceedings, civil or criminal, the good faith of the veterinarian shall be rebuttably presumed.

(l) No person shall solicit a minor to violate this Section.

(m) The penalties for violations of this Section shall be as follows:

(1) A person convicted of violating subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this Section or any rule, regulation, or order of the Department pursuant thereto is guilty of a Class 4 felony A misdemeanor for the first offense. A second or subsequent offense involving the violation of subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this Section or any rule, regulation, or order of the Department pursuant thereto is a Class 3 4 felony.

(2) A person convicted of violating subsection (d), (e), or (f) of this Section or any rule, regulation, or order of the Department pursuant thereto is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense. A second or subsequent violation is a Class 4 felony.

(3) A person convicted of violating subsection (g) of this Section or any rule, regulation, or order of the Department pursuant thereto is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.

(4) A person convicted of violating subsection (l) of this Section is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(Source: P.A. 92-425, eff. 1-1-02; 92-454, eff. 1-1-02; 92-650, eff. 7-11-02; 92-651, eff. 7-11-02; revised 11-21-02.)

(510 ILCS 70/17 new)

Sec. 17. Penalties.

(a) Any person convicted of any act of abuse or neglect or of violating any other provision of this Act, for which a penalty is not otherwise provided, or any rule, regulation, or order of the Department pursuant thereto, is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. A second or subsequent violation is a Class 4 felony with every day that a violation continues constituting a separate offense.

(b) The Department may enjoin a person from a continuing violation of this Act.

(510 ILCS 70/16 rep.)

Section 10. The Humane Care for Animals Act is amended by repealing Section 16.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.