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1 | AN ACT concerning animal control.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Dog | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | and Cat Overpopulation Control Act. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Section 5. Findings.
The General Assembly finds the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | following: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | (1) Controlling the dog and cat population would have a | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | significant benefit to the public health by aiding in the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | prevention of dog attacks, reducing the number of dog and cat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | bite cases involving children, and decreasing the number of | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | automobile accidents caused by stray dogs and cats. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | (2) Controlling the dog and cat population will save | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | taxpayer dollars by reducing the number of dogs and cats | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | handled by county and municipal animal control agencies. A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | similar program was implemented in New Hampshire in 1994 and | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | has significantly reduced the number of dogs and cats | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | euthanized in shelters in that State. Every dollar spent on the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | New Hampshire neutering program has saved $3.15 in reduced | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | impoundment costs there. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | Section 10. Definitions. For purposes of this Act: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | "Director" means the Director of Agriculture. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | "Department" means the Department of Agriculture. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
24 | "Fund" means the Dog and Cat Population Control Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
25 | established in this Act. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
26 | Section 15. Program established. The Department shall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
27 | establish and implement a Dog and Cat Population Control | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
28 | Program. The purpose of this program is to reduce the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
29 | population of unwanted and stray dogs and cats by encouraging | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
30 | the owners of dogs and cats to have them permanently sexually |
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1 | sterilized, thereby reducing potential threats to public | ||||||
2 | health and safety. The program shall begin distributing funds | ||||||
3 | for spaying and neutering operations or chemical | ||||||
4 | sterilizations on January 1, 2006. Beginning June 30, 2006, the | ||||||
5 | Director must make an annual written report concerning to the | ||||||
6 | progress of the program to the President of the Senate, the | ||||||
7 | Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Governor. | ||||||
8 | Section 20. Eligibility.
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9 | (a) A resident of this State who has adopted a dog or cat | ||||||
10 | from a licensed animal shelter shall be eligible to participate | ||||||
11 | in the program if the applicant signs a consent form certifying | ||||||
12 | that he or she is the owner of the dog or cat or is authorized | ||||||
13 | by the owner to present the dog or cat for the procedure. The | ||||||
14 | sterilization shall be performed by a participating | ||||||
15 | veterinarian, and the fee for the procedure shall be $30. | ||||||
16 | (b) A resident of the State who owns a dog or cat and who is | ||||||
17 | eligible for the Food Stamp Program, the Medicaid Program, or | ||||||
18 | the Disability Insurance Benefits Program shall also be | ||||||
19 | eligible to participate in the program at a reduced rate if the | ||||||
20 | applicant signs a consent form certifying that he or she is the | ||||||
21 | owner of the dog or cat or is authorized by the owner to | ||||||
22 | present the dog or cat for the procedure. The sterilization | ||||||
23 | shall be performed by a participating veterinarian, and the fee | ||||||
24 | for the procedure shall be $15. | ||||||
25 | Section 25. Veterinarian participation. Any veterinarian | ||||||
26 | licensed in this State may participate in the program | ||||||
27 | established under this Act. A veterinarian shall file with the | ||||||
28 | Director an application on which the veterinarian must supply, | ||||||
29 | in addition to any other information requested by the Director, | ||||||
30 | a fee schedule listing the fees charged for dog and cat | ||||||
31 | sterilization, examination, and the pre-surgical immunizations | ||||||
32 | specified in this Act in the normal course of business. The dog | ||||||
33 | or cat sterilization fee may vary with the animal's weight, | ||||||
34 | sex, and species. The Director may, however, disqualify from |
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1 | participation in the program any veterinarian whose fees the | ||||||
2 | Director deems unreasonable. | ||||||
3 | The Director shall reimburse, to the extent funds are | ||||||
4 | available, participating veterinarians for 80% of the fee, less | ||||||
5 | payment paid by the owner to the veterinarian as provided in | ||||||
6 | this Act, for each dog or cat sterilization procedure | ||||||
7 | administered. To receive this reimbursement, the veterinarian | ||||||
8 | must submit a dog or cat sterilization certificate that must be | ||||||
9 | signed by the veterinarian and the owner of the dog or cat. | ||||||
10 | For all dogs and cats sterilized under this Act, the | ||||||
11 | Director shall also reimburse, to the extent funds are | ||||||
12 | available, any licensed veterinarian of this State | ||||||
13 | participating in the program for (i) examination fees and the | ||||||
14 | pre-surgical immunizations of dogs against rabies, distemper, | ||||||
15 | hepatitis, leptospirosis, and parvovirus or (ii) examination | ||||||
16 | fees and the pre-surgical immunizations of cats against rabies, | ||||||
17 | feline panleukopenia, calici, pneumonitis, and | ||||||
18 | rhinotracheitis, as the case may be. Reimbursement for the full | ||||||
19 | cost of pre-surgical immunizations shall be made by the | ||||||
20 | Director to the participating veterinarian upon written | ||||||
21 | certification, signed by the veterinarian and the owner of the | ||||||
22 | dog or cat, that the immunization has been administered. There | ||||||
23 | shall be no additional charges to the owner of a dog or cat | ||||||
24 | sterilized under Section 20(b) of this Act for examination fees | ||||||
25 | or pre-surgical immunizations. An owner of a dog or cat | ||||||
26 | sterilized under this Act who has adopted the dog or cat from a | ||||||
27 | licensed animal shelter shall pay the cost of all pre-surgical | ||||||
28 | immunizations and examination fees directly to the | ||||||
29 | participating veterinarian. | ||||||
30 | Section 30. Rulemaking. The Director shall adopt rules | ||||||
31 | concerning: | ||||||
32 | (1) the format and content of all forms required under | ||||||
33 | this Act; | ||||||
34 | (2) proof of eligibility; | ||||||
35 | (3) the administration of the fund; and |
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1 | (4) any other matter necessary for the administration | ||||||
2 | of the Dog and Cat Population Control Program without the | ||||||
3 | approval of the livestock commission. | ||||||
4 | Section 35. Enforcement; administrative fine. Any person | ||||||
5 | who knowingly falsifies proof of eligibility for or | ||||||
6 | participation in any program under this Act, furnishes any | ||||||
7 | licensed veterinarian with inaccurate information concerning | ||||||
8 | the ownership of a dog or cat submitted for a sterilization | ||||||
9 | procedure, furnishes the Director with false information | ||||||
10 | concerning a dog or cat sterilization fee schedule or a dog or | ||||||
11 | cat sterilization certificate submitted pursuant to this Act, | ||||||
12 | or violates any provision of this Act may be subject to an | ||||||
13 | administrative fine not to exceed $1,000 for each violation. | ||||||
14 | Section 40. Dog and Cat Population Control Fund. | ||||||
15 | (a) The Dog and Cat Population Control Fund is hereby | ||||||
16 | established as a special fund in the State Treasury. The moneys | ||||||
17 | generated from the fee collected under subsection (b) must be | ||||||
18 | kept in the Fund and may only be used to sterilize dogs and | ||||||
19 | cats in this State pursuant to the program, to promote the | ||||||
20 | sterilization program, and for administrative costs related to | ||||||
21 | the Fund. Donations from private individuals and corporations | ||||||
22 | may also be deposited into the Fund for the sole use of | ||||||
23 | sterilizing dogs and cats in this State.
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24 | (b) Beginning January 1, 2005, each county board, in | ||||||
25 | addition to the individual animal and litter registration fee | ||||||
26 | established in the Illinois Animal Control Act, shall impose a | ||||||
27 | $2 dog and cat population control fee on each registered dog | ||||||
28 | and cat. The clerk of the county shall remit all dog and cat | ||||||
29 | population control fees collected to the State Treasurer on a | ||||||
30 | semi-annual basis. The dog and cat control fees shall be | ||||||
31 | deposited into the Fund. The $2 dog and cat population control | ||||||
32 | fee does not apply to feral cats as defined in the Illinois | ||||||
33 | Animal Control Act. | ||||||
34 |
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1 | Section 45. Home rule. A home rule unit may not act in a | ||||||
2 | manner inconsistent with the provisions of this Act. This | ||||||
3 | Section is a limitation under subsection (i) of Section 6 of | ||||||
4 | Article VII of the Illinois Constitution on the concurrent | ||||||
5 | exercise by home rule units of powers and functions exercised | ||||||
6 | by the State. | ||||||
7 | Section 905. The State Finance Act is amended by adding | ||||||
8 | Section
5.625 as follows:
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9 | (30 ILCS 105/5.625 new)
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10 | Sec. 5.625. The Dog and Cat Population Control Fund.
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11 | Section 910. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding | ||||||
12 | Section 8.28 as
follows:
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13 | (30 ILCS 805/8.28 new)
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14 | Sec. 8.28. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 | ||||||
15 | of this
Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the | ||||||
16 | implementation of
any mandate created by this amendatory Act of | ||||||
17 | the 93rd General Assembly.
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18 | Section 999. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
19 | becoming law.
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