|
|||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | AN ACT concerning animals.
| ||||||
2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
| ||||||
3 | represented in the General Assembly:
| ||||||
4 | Section 5. The Humane Care for Animals Act is amended by | ||||||
5 | adding Section 3.035 as follows: | ||||||
6 | (510 ILCS 70/3.035 new) | ||||||
7 | Sec. 3.035. Tethering. | ||||||
8 | (a) As used in this Section, "tether" means to restrain a | ||||||
9 | dog by tying it to any object or structure, including without | ||||||
10 | limitation a house, tree, fence, post, garage, shed, or clothes | ||||||
11 | line on the person's residence or business, by any means, | ||||||
12 | including without limitation a chain, rope, cord, leash, or | ||||||
13 | running line. | ||||||
14 | (b) A dog may be tethered outdoors only if all of the | ||||||
15 | following requirements are met: | ||||||
16 | (1) The dog must not suffer from a condition that is | ||||||
17 | known by the owner and that is exacerbated by being | ||||||
18 | tethered. | ||||||
19 | (2) If multiple dogs are tethered on the same property, | ||||||
20 | each dog must be tethered separately. If multiple dogs are | ||||||
21 | tethered, sufficient space must be placed between the leads | ||||||
22 | to ensure that the leads do not tangle. | ||||||
23 | (3) The lead must not be made of a tow chain or log |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | chain. | ||||||
2 | (4) The lead must measure 10 feet or longer in length. | ||||||
3 | For the purposes of calculating length under this Section, | ||||||
4 | the enforcing agency shall, after determining the total | ||||||
5 | length of the lead, round remaining fractional portions of | ||||||
6 | a foot greater than or equal to half of a foot up to the | ||||||
7 | next whole foot. | ||||||
8 | (5) The lead must be attached to the dog by a properly | ||||||
9 | fitting harness or collar. The lead must not wrap directly | ||||||
10 | around the dog's neck. Pinch, prong, or choke-type collars | ||||||
11 | shall not be used to tether a dog. | ||||||
12 | (6) The length and location of the lead must prevent | ||||||
13 | the dog from moving outside of its owner's property. | ||||||
14 | (c) Even if all of the requirements of subsection (b) are | ||||||
15 | met, it shall be unlawful to tether a dog outdoors between the | ||||||
16 | hours of 10 pm and 6 am; except that a dog of any age may be | ||||||
17 | temporarily tethered, tied, or chained outdoors for a time | ||||||
18 | period not exceeding 15 minutes or a dog may be tethered if it | ||||||
19 | has access to adequate shelter and protection from the weather. | ||||||
20 | (d) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prohibit | ||||||
21 | the following: | ||||||
22 | (1) a person from walking a dog with a hand-held leash; | ||||||
23 | (2) conduct that is directly related to the cultivating | ||||||
24 | of agricultural products, including shepherding or herding | ||||||
25 | cattle or livestock, if the restraint is reasonably | ||||||
26 | necessary for the safety of the dog; or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (3) tethering of a dog while at an organized and lawful | ||||||
2 | animal function such as hunting, obedience training, field | ||||||
3 | and water training, performance and conformation events, | ||||||
4 | or law enforcement training, or while in the pursuit of | ||||||
5 | working or competing in those endeavors. | ||||||
6 | (e) A person convicted of violating this Section is guilty | ||||||
7 | of a Class B misdemeanor. A second or subsequent violation is a | ||||||
8 | Class 4 felony with every day that a violation continues | ||||||
9 | constituting a separate offense. If the convicted person is a | ||||||
10 | juvenile or a companion animal hoarder, the court must order | ||||||
11 | the convicted person to undergo a psychological or psychiatric | ||||||
12 | evaluation and to undergo treatment that the court determines | ||||||
13 | to be appropriate after due consideration of the evaluation. | ||||||
14 | (f) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to supersede | ||||||
15 | the duties of an owner as enumerated in Section 3.
|