Public Act 0658 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB6084 Enrolled LRB099 19296 SLF 43688 b

Public Act 099-0658

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 Sections 8 and 13 as follows:

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

Sec. 8. Rabies inoculation. 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. 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 animal 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. 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. Only one dog shall be included on each certificate. The veterinarian immunizing or microchipping an animal shall provide the Administrator of the county in which the animal resides with a certificate of immunization and microchip number. The Board shall cause a rabies inoculation tag to be issued, at a fee established by the Board for each dog inoculated against rabies.

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.

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 shot requirement, however, but the owner is must still be responsible for the tag fees.

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. 93-548, eff. 8-19-03; 94-639, eff. 8-22-05.)

(510 ILCS 5/13) (from Ch. 8, par. 363)

Sec. 13. Dog or other animal bites; observation of animal.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections subsection (b) and (c) of this Section, when the Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator receives information that any person has been bitten by an animal, the Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator, or his or her authorized representative, shall have such dog or other animal confined under the observation of a licensed veterinarian for a period of 10 days. The confinement shall be for a period of not less than 10 days from the date the bite occurred and shall continue until the animal has been examined and released from confinement by a licensed veterinarian. The Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator Department may permit such confinement to be reduced to a period of less than 10 days.

(a-5) The owner, or if the owner is unavailable, an agent or caretaker of an animal documented to have bitten a person shall present the animal to a licensed veterinarian within 24 hours. A veterinarian presented with an animal documented to have bitten a person shall make a record of report the clinical condition of the animal immediately. , with confirmation in writing to the Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator within 24 hours after the animal is presented for examination, giving the owner's name, address, the date of confinement, the breed, description, age, and sex of the animal, and whether the animal has been spayed or neutered, on appropriate forms approved by the Department. The Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator shall notify the attending physician or responsible health agency. At the end of the confinement period, the animal shall be examined by a licensed veterinarian, inoculated against rabies, if eligible, and microchipped, if the dog or cat has not been already, at the expense of the owner. The veterinarian shall submit a written report listing the owner's name, address, dates of confinement, dates of examination, species, breed, description, age, sex, and microchip number of the animal to the Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator advising him or her of the clinical condition and the final disposition of the animal on appropriate forms approved by the Department. The Administrator shall notify the person who has been bitten, and in the case of confirmed rabies in the animal, the attending physician or responsible health agency advising of the clinical condition of the animal. When evidence is presented that the animal was inoculated against rabies within the time prescribed by law, it shall be confined in a house, or in a manner which will prohibit it from biting any person for a period of 10 days, if a licensed veterinarian adjudges such confinement satisfactory. The Department may permit such confinement to be reduced to a period of less than 10 days. At the end of the confinement period, the animal shall be examined by a licensed veterinarian.

(a-10) When the Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator or his or her authorized representative receives information that a person has been bitten by an animal and evidence is presented that the animal at the time the bite occurred was inoculated against rabies within the time prescribed by law, the animal may be confined in a house, or in a manner which will prohibit the animal from biting a person, if the Administrator, Deputy Administrator, or his or her authorized representative determines the confinement satisfactory. The confinement shall be for a period of not less than 10 days from the date the bite occurred and shall continue until the animal has been examined and released from confinement by a licensed veterinarian. The Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator may instruct the owner, agent, or caretaker to have the animal examined by a licensed veterinarian immediately. The Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator may permit the confinement to be reduced to a period of less than 10 days. At the end of the confinement period, the animal shall be examined by a licensed veterinarian and microchipped, if the dog or cat is not already, at the expense of the owner. The veterinarian shall submit a written report listing the owner's name, address, dates of examination, species, breed, description, age, sex, and microchip number of the animal to the Administrator advising him or her of the clinical condition and the final disposition of the animal on appropriate forms approved by the Department. The Administrator shall notify the person who has been bitten and, in case of confirmed rabies in the animal, the attending physician or responsible health agency advising of the clinical condition of the animal.

(a-15) Any person having knowledge that any person has been bitten by an animal shall notify the Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator within 24 hours promptly.

(a-20) It is unlawful for the owner of the animal to conceal the whereabouts, euthanize, sell, give away, or otherwise dispose of any animal known to have bitten a person, until it is examined and released from confinement by the Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator, or licensed veterinarian or his or her authorized representative. It is unlawful for the owner of the animal to refuse or fail to immediately comply with the reasonable written or printed instructions made by the Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator, or his or her authorized representative. If such instructions cannot be delivered in person, they shall be mailed to the owner of the animal by regular mail. Any expense incurred in the handling of an animal under this Section and Section 12 shall be borne by the owner. The owner of a biting animal must also remit to the Department of Public Health, for deposit into the Pet Population Control Fund, a $25 public safety fine within 30 days after notice.

(b) When a person has been bitten by a police dog that is currently vaccinated against rabies, the police dog may continue to perform its duties for the peace officer or law enforcement agency and any period of observation of the police dog may be under the supervision of a peace officer. The supervision shall consist of the dog being locked in a kennel, performing its official duties in a police vehicle, or remaining under the constant supervision of its police handler.

(c) When a person has been bitten by a search and rescue dog that is currently vaccinated against rabies, the search and rescue dog may continue to perform its duties for the handler or owner or agency and any period of observation of the dog may be under the supervision of its handler or owner. The supervision shall consist of the dog being locked in a kennel, performing its official duties in a vehicle, or remaining under the constant supervision of its handler or owner.

(d) Any person convicted of violating subsection (a-20) of this Section is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a first violation. A second or subsequent violation is a Class 4 felony.

(Source: P.A. 93-548, eff. 8-19-03; 94-639, eff. 8-22-05.)

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