101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB2424

 

Introduced , by Rep. Mary Edly-Allen

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
225 ILCS 605/3.6

    Amends the Animal Welfare Act. Provides that, while a stray dog or cat is being held for the period specified in local ordinance, an animal shelter may release the stray dog or cat to a facility operated by a rescue group for the purpose of providing medical care if the animal shelter is unable to provide that care.


LRB101 05869 JRG 50888 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB2424LRB101 05869 JRG 50888 b

1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Animal Welfare Act is amended by changing
5Section 3.6 as follows:
 
6    (225 ILCS 605/3.6)
7    Sec. 3.6. Acceptance of stray dogs and cats.
8    (a) No animal shelter may accept a stray dog or cat unless
9the animal is reported by the shelter to the animal control or
10law enforcement of the county in which the animal is found by
11the next business day. An animal shelter may accept animals
12from: (1) the owner of the animal where the owner signs a
13relinquishment form which states he or she is the owner of the
14animal; (2) an animal shelter licensed under this Act; or (3)
15an out-of-state animal control facility, rescue group, or
16animal shelter that is duly licensed in their state or is a
17not-for-profit organization.
18    (b) When stray dogs and cats are accepted by an animal
19shelter, they must be scanned for the presence of a microchip
20and examined for other currently-acceptable methods of
21identification, including, but not limited to, identification
22tags, tattoos, and rabies license tags. The examination for
23identification shall be done within 24 hours after the intake

 

 

HB2424- 2 -LRB101 05869 JRG 50888 b

1of each dog or cat. The animal shelter shall notify the owner
2and transfer any dog with an identified owner to the animal
3control or law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction in which
4it was found or the local animal control agency for redemption.
5    (c) If no transfer can occur, the animal shelter shall make
6every reasonable attempt to contact the owner, agent, or
7caretaker as soon as possible. The animal shelter shall give
8notice of not less than 7 business days to the owner, agent, or
9caretaker prior to disposal of the animal. The notice shall be
10mailed to the last known address of the owner, agent, or
11caretaker. Testimony of the animal shelter, or its authorized
12agent, who mails the notice shall be evidence of the receipt of
13the notice by the owner, agent, or caretaker of the animal. A
14mailed notice shall remain the primary means of owner, agent,
15or caretaker contact; however, the animal shelter shall also
16attempt to contact the owner, agent, or caretaker by any other
17contact information, such as by telephone or email address,
18provided by the microchip or other method of identification
19found on the dog or cat. If the dog or cat has been
20microchipped and the primary contact listed by the chip
21manufacturer cannot be located or refuses to reclaim the dog or
22cat, an attempt shall be made to contact any secondary contacts
23listed by the chip manufacturer or the purchaser of the
24microchip if the purchaser is a nonprofit organization, animal
25shelter, animal control facility, pet store, breeder, or
26veterinary office prior to adoption, transfer, or

 

 

HB2424- 3 -LRB101 05869 JRG 50888 b

1euthanization. Prior to transferring any stray dog or cat to
2another humane shelter, pet store, rescue group, or
3euthanization, the dog or cat shall be scanned again for the
4presence of a microchip and examined for other means of
5identification. If a second scan provides the same identifying
6information as the initial intake scan and the owner, agent, or
7caretaker has not been located or refuses to reclaim the dog or
8cat, the animal shelter may proceed with adoption, transfer, or
9euthanization.
10    (d) When stray dogs and cats are accepted by an animal
11shelter and no owner can be identified, the shelter shall hold
12the animal for the period specified in local ordinance prior to
13adoption, transfer, or euthanasia. The animal shelter shall
14allow access to the public to view the animals housed there.
15While a stray dog or cat is being held for the period specified
16in local ordinance, an animal shelter may release the stray dog
17or cat to a facility operated by a rescue group for the purpose
18of providing medical care if the animal shelter is unable to
19provide that care. If a dog is identified by an owner who
20desires to make redemption of it, the dog shall be transferred
21to the local animal control for redemption. If no transfer can
22occur, the animal shelter shall proceed pursuant to Section
233.7. Upon lapse of the hold period specified in local ordinance
24and no owner can be identified, ownership of the animal, by
25operation of law, transfers to the shelter that has custody of
26the animal.

 

 

HB2424- 4 -LRB101 05869 JRG 50888 b

1    (e) No representative of an animal shelter may enter
2private property and remove an animal without permission from
3the property owner and animal owner, nor can any representative
4of an animal shelter direct another individual to enter private
5property and remove an animal unless that individual is an
6approved humane investigator (approved by the Department)
7operating pursuant to the provisions of the Humane Care for
8Animals Act.
9    (f) Nothing in this Section limits an animal shelter and an
10animal control facility who, through mutual agreement, wish to
11enter into an agreement for animal control, boarding, holding,
12measures to improve life-saving, or other services provided
13that the agreement requires parties adhere to the provisions of
14the Animal Control Act, the Humane Euthanasia in Animal
15Shelters Act, and the Humane Care for Animals Act.
16(Source: P.A. 99-310, eff. 1-1-16; 100-322, eff. 8-24-17;
17100-870, eff. 1-1-19.)