Public Act 101-0299
 
SB0131 EnrolledLRB101 07265 SLF 52304 b


  
    AN ACT concerning animals.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  




 
 
    Section 5. The Animal Control Act is amended  by changing 
Section 8 as follows:
 



    (510 ILCS 5/8)  (from Ch. 8, par. 358)



    Sec. 8. Rabies inoculation.  
    (a) Every owner of a dog 4 months or more of age shall have 
each dog
inoculated against rabies
by a licensed veterinarian. 
Every dog shall
have a second rabies vaccination within one 
year of the first.  Terms of
subsequent
vaccine administration 
and duration of immunity must be in compliance with USDA

licenses of vaccines used. 
    (b) Every owner of a cat that is a companion animal and is 
4 months or more of age shall have each cat inoculated against 
rabies by a licensed veterinarian. Every cat that is a 
companion animal shall have a second rabies vaccination within 
one year of the first. Terms of subsequent vaccine 
administration and duration of immunity must be in compliance 
with USDA licenses of vaccines used. This subsection (b) does 
not apply to feral cats; however, if a feral cat is presented 
to a licensed veterinarian for sterilization, the feral cat 
shall be inoculated against rabies, unless the person 
presenting the feral cat for care provides an inoculation 
certificate showing that the feral cat has been inoculated 
against rabies, and the cost of the inoculation shall be paid 
by the person presenting the feral cat to a licensed 
veterinarian for care. 
    (c) A veterinarian immunizing a dog, cat, or ferret against 
rabies shall provide the Administrator of the county in which 
the dog, cat, or ferret resides with a certificate of 
immunization.  Evidence of such rabies
inoculation shall be 
entered on a certificate the form of which shall be
approved by 
the Board and which shall contain the microchip number of the 
dog, cat, or ferret if it has one and which shall be signed by 
the licensed
veterinarian administering the vaccine.  Only one 
dog, cat, or ferret shall be included on each certificate. 
    (d) Veterinarians who inoculate a dog
shall procure from 
the County Animal
Control in the county where their office is 
located
serially
numbered tags, one to be issued with each 
inoculation certificate.  The
Board shall cause a rabies

inoculation tag to be issued, at a fee established by the Board

for each
dog inoculated against rabies.

    (e) A veterinarian who inoculates a cat that is a companion 
animal shall issue an inoculation certificate to the owner 
which shall comply with any registration requirements adopted 
by the county under Section 3 of this Act. The owner shall pay 
any fee imposed by the county under Section 3 of this Act. A 
veterinarian who inoculates a feral cat shall issue an 
inoculation certificate to the person who presented the feral 
cat for veterinary care. The registration requirements or any 
fee imposed by the county under Section 3 of this Act shall not 
apply to feral cats. 
    (f) Rabies vaccine for use on animals shall be sold or 
distributed only to
and used only by licensed veterinarians. 
Such rabies vaccine shall be
licensed by the United States 
Department of Agriculture.

    (g) If a licensed veterinarian determines in writing that a 
rabies inoculation would compromise an animal's health, then 
the animal shall be exempt from the rabies inoculation 
requirement, however, the owner is still responsible for the 
tag fees.
    (h) If a bite occurs from an exempt animal, the exempt 
animal shall be treated as an unvaccinated animal.  If the 
animal is exempt, the animal shall be re-examined by a licensed 
veterinarian on no less than an annual basis and be vaccinated 
against rabies as soon as the animal's health permits.
(Source: P.A. 99-658, eff. 7-28-16.)