Public Act 0310 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4029 Enrolled LRB099 09451 AMC 29658 b

Public Act 099-0310

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 Sections 2, 3.4, and 10 and by adding Sections 3.6 and 3.7 as follows:

(225 ILCS 605/2) (from Ch. 8, par. 302)

Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act unless the context otherwise requires:

"Department" means the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

"Director" means the Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

"Pet shop operator" means any person who sells, offers to sell, exchange, or offers for adoption with or without charge or donation dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, or other animals customarily obtained as pets in this State. However, a person who sells only such animals that he has produced and raised shall not be considered a pet shop operator under this Act, and a veterinary hospital or clinic operated by a veterinarian or veterinarians licensed under the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004 shall not be considered a pet shop operator under this Act.

"Dog dealer" means any person who sells, offers to sell, exchange, or offers for adoption with or without charge or donation dogs in this State. However, a person who sells only dogs that he has produced and raised shall not be considered a dog dealer under this Act, and a veterinary hospital or clinic operated by a veterinarian or veterinarians licensed under the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004 shall not be considered a dog dealer under this Act.

"Secretary of Agriculture" or "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture.

"Person" means any person, firm, corporation, partnership, association or other legal entity, any public or private institution, the State of Illinois, or any municipal corporation or political subdivision of the State.

"Kennel operator" means any person who operates an establishment, other than an animal control facility, veterinary hospital, or animal shelter, where dogs or dogs and cats are maintained for boarding, training or similar purposes for a fee or compensation; or who sells, offers to sell, exchange, or offers for adoption with or without charge dogs or dogs and cats which he has produced and raised. A person who owns, has possession of, or harbors 5 or less females capable of reproduction shall not be considered a kennel operator.

"Cattery operator" means any person who operates an establishment, other than an animal control facility or animal shelter, where cats are maintained for boarding, training or similar purposes for a fee or compensation; or who sells, offers to sell, exchange, or offers for adoption with or without charges cats which he has produced and raised. A person who owns, has possession of, or harbors 5 or less females capable of reproduction shall not be considered a cattery operator.

"Animal control facility" means any facility operated by or under contract for the State, county, or any municipal corporation or political subdivision of the State for the purpose of impounding or harboring seized, stray, homeless, abandoned or unwanted dogs, cats, and other animals. "Animal control facility" also means any veterinary hospital or clinic operated by a veterinarian or veterinarians licensed under the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004 which operates for the above mentioned purpose in addition to its customary purposes.

"Animal shelter" means a facility operated, owned, or maintained by a duly incorporated humane society, animal welfare society, or other non-profit organization for the purpose of providing for and promoting the welfare, protection, and humane treatment of animals. "Animal shelter" also means any veterinary hospital or clinic operated by a veterinarian or veterinarians licensed under the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004 which operates for the above mentioned purpose in addition to its customary purposes.

"Foster home" means an entity that accepts the responsibility for stewardship of animals that are the obligation of an animal shelter, not to exceed 4 animals at any given time. Permits to operate as a "foster home" shall be issued through the animal shelter.

"Guard dog service" means an entity that, for a fee, furnishes or leases guard or sentry dogs for the protection of life or property. A person is not a guard dog service solely because he or she owns a dog and uses it to guard his or her home, business, or farmland.

"Guard dog" means a type of dog used primarily for the purpose of defending, patrolling, or protecting property or life at a commercial establishment other than a farm. "Guard dog" does not include stock dogs used primarily for handling and controlling livestock or farm animals, nor does it include personally owned pets that also provide security.

"Sentry dog" means a dog trained to work without supervision in a fenced facility other than a farm, and to deter or detain unauthorized persons found within the facility.

"Probationary status" means the 12-month period following a series of violations of this Act during which any further violation shall result in an automatic 12-month suspension of licensure.

"Owner" means any person having a right of property in an animal, who keeps or harbors an animal, who has an animal in his or her care or acts as its custodian, or who knowingly permits a dog to remain on any premises occupied by him or her. "Owner" does not include a feral cat caretaker participating in a trap, spay/neuter, return or release program.

(Source: P.A. 95-550, eff. 6-1-08.)

(225 ILCS 605/3.4)

Sec. 3.4. Transfer Release of animals between to shelters. An animal shelter or animal control facility may not release any animal to an individual representing an animal shelter, unless (1) the recipient animal shelter has been licensed or has a foster care permit issued by the Department or (2) the individual is a representative of a not-for-profit, out-of-State organization who is transferring the animal out of the State of Illinois.

(Source: P.A. 96-314, eff. 8-11-09.)

(225 ILCS 605/3.6 new)

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 prior to adoption, transfer, or euthanization. Prior to transferring any stray dog or cat to another humane shelter or 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. 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.

(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, 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.

(225 ILCS 605/3.7 new)

Sec. 3.7. Redemption of stray dogs and cats from animal shelters. Any owner, agent, or caretaker wishing to make redemption of a dog or cat held by a shelter under the provisions of subsection (c) of Section 3.6 of this Act may do so by doing the following:

(1) paying the shelter for the board of the dog or cat for the period the shelter was in possession of the animal; the daily boarding rate shall not exceed the daily boarding rate of the animal control agency in the jurisdiction in which the shelter is located; and

(2) paying the shelter for reasonable costs of veterinary care, if applicable.

The shelter has the option to waive any fees or veterinary costs.

(225 ILCS 605/10) (from Ch. 8, par. 310)

Sec. 10. Grounds for discipline. The Department may refuse to issue or renew or may suspend or revoke a license on any one or more of the following grounds:

a. Material misstatement in the application for original license or in the application for any renewal license under this Act;

b. A violation of this Act or of any regulations or rules issued pursuant thereto;

c. Aiding or abetting another in the violation of this Act or of any regulation or rule issued pursuant thereto;

d. Allowing one's license under this Act to be used by an unlicensed person;

e. Conviction of any crime an essential element of which is misstatement, fraud or dishonesty or conviction of any felony, if the Department determines, after investigation, that such person has not been sufficiently rehabilitated to warrant the public trust;

f. Conviction of a violation of any law of Illinois except minor violations such as traffic violations and violations not related to the disposition of dogs, cats and other animals or any rule or regulation of the Department relating to dogs or cats and sale thereof;

g. Making substantial misrepresentations or false promises of a character likely to influence, persuade or induce in connection with the business of a licensee under this Act;

h. Pursuing a continued course of misrepresentation of or making false promises through advertising, salesman, agents or otherwise in connection with the business of a licensee under this Act;

i. Failure to possess the necessary qualifications or to meet the requirements of the Act for the issuance or holding a license; or

j. Proof that the licensee is guilty of gross negligence, incompetency, or cruelty with regard to animals.

The Department may refuse to issue or may suspend the license of any person who fails to file a return, or to pay the tax, penalty or interest shown in a filed return, or to pay any final assessment of tax, penalty or interest, as required by any tax Act administered by the Illinois Department of Revenue, until such time as the requirements of any such tax Act are satisfied.

The Department may order any licensee to cease operation for a period not to exceed 72 hours to correct deficiencies in order to meet licensing requirements.

If the Department revokes a license under this Act at an administrative hearing, the licensee and any individuals associated with that license shall be prohibited from applying for or obtaining a license under this Act for a minimum of 3 years.

(Source: P.A. 89-178, eff. 7-19-95; 90-385, eff. 8-15-97; 90-403, eff. 8-15-97.)

Effective Date: 1/1/2016