HB0733eng 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0733 Engrossed LRB098 03561 MRW 33577 b

AN ACT concerning animals.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Domestic Animals Running At Large Act is amended by changing Sections 1.1 and 1.2 as follows:

(510 ILCS 55/1.1) (from Ch. 8, par. 1.1)

Sec. 1.1. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Livestock", for the purposes of this Act only, means bison, cattle, swine, sheep, goats, equidae, camelids, ratites, or fowl or geese.

"Owner" means any person who (a) has a right of property in an animal, (b) keeps or harbors an animal, (c) has an animal in his care, or (d) acts as custodian of an animal.

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

"Running at large" or "run at large" means livestock that strays from confinement or restraint and from the limits of the owner.

(Source: P.A. 84-28.)

(510 ILCS 55/1.2) (from Ch. 8, par. 1.2)

Sec. 1.2. A notice of a violation of this Act shall be given to the person or owner of livestock running at large if known and a maximum of 24 hours may be granted in which to make the necessary corrections if the violation is an accidental occurrence and an investigation reveals no identifiable individual at fault. Any livestock allowed to run at large may be impounded at a facility capable of restraining such livestock. A notice of impoundment shall be delivered to the owner of such livestock in person or by certified mail.

Law enforcement officials such as State Police, County Sheriffs, or municipal police officers, animal control administrators, animal control officers, or authorized agents of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, or authorized agents of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, or the owner or occupier of land may give notice and cause stray animals which trespass to be impounded.

The person or persons having stray livestock impounded shall make every reasonable effort to notify the owner or keeper of the impounded livestock where such livestock is impounded.

The person or persons requesting impoundment shall be held harmless of any liability for injury to or for any financial responsibility for such animals.

Stray animals may be impounded at any public stockyards, livestock auction markets or any other facilities willing to accept such animals for impoundment. The impounding facility and its owner or owners shall not be held liable for any injury or accrue any financial responsibility for such impounded animals.

Any expense incurred in such impoundment shall become a lien on the livestock impounded and must be discharged before the livestock are released from the facility. The livestock may be released to the owner prior to the expiration of the impoundment period if impoundment costs are satisfied and the owner provides evidence that he is capable of restraining the livestock from running at large. If the owner refuses or fails to provide such restraints, or the impounded animals are not claimed and incurred costs paid within the period of impoundment, such animals shall be sold either at a public auction, or through a public stockyard or a livestock auction market, offered for adoption, or humanely euthanized in accordance with this Section. Before any livestock can be sold, offered for adoption, or humanely euthanized as herein provided, the person requesting the impoundment shall have published notice of the intended sale, adoption, or euthanization thereof in a newspaper of general circulation in the area where the impounded animals were found to be running at large. If the impounded livestock is not claimed within 10 days after the date of publication of such notice, the livestock may be sold, offered for adoption, or humanely euthanized in accordance with this Section. The proceeds of the sale shall be applied first to discharge the lien and costs associated with the sale of the livestock, and any balance shall be paid to the owner. If any court of competent jurisdiction issues any order concerning any impounded animal, such animal shall immediately pass to the jurisdiction and possession of the court bailiff of the jurisdiction in which the order was issued.

If the lien and costs of the associated sale of the livestock is determined to exceed the expected value of the animal, then the animal may be deemed adoptable by the animal control facility and may be offered for adoption. If no such placement is available, then the animal may be humanely euthanized.

(Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)

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