102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB3917

 

Introduced 2/22/2021, by Rep. Natalie A. Manley

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
510 ILCS 70/1.5 new
510 ILCS 70/3  from Ch. 8, par. 703
510 ILCS 70/3.01  from Ch. 8, par. 703.01
510 ILCS 70/3.02
510 ILCS 70/3.025 new

    Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides findings from the General Assembly concerning the priority of protecting animals from abuse. Provides for appropriate guidelines for enclosed structures for companion animals. Provides that humane care and treatment of animals includes appropriate exercise. Prohibits placing companion animals in life-threatening situations, when considering their age, health, and species. Provides that no person shall without legal justification knowingly or intentionally commit an act that causes a companion animal to suffer great bodily harm.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning animals.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Humane Care for Animals Act is amended by
5changing Sections 2, 3, 3.01, 3.02 and 3.02-1 and by adding
6Sections 1.5 and 3.025 as follows:
 
7    (510 ILCS 70/1.5 new)
8    Sec. 1.5. Findings. The General Assembly finds that:
9        (1) Animals are sentient beings capable of feeling
10    pain, sorrow, and fear as well as pleasure, joy, and
11    contentment.
12        (2) Animals are a precious resource for the people of
13    the State of Illinois.
14        (3) As such, the people of the State of Illinois have
15    an obligation to protect animals from unnecessary pain and
16    suffering.
17        (4) There is a direct correlation between the abuse of
18    animals and violence against human beings.
19        (5) Therefore, the protection of animals from mental
20    and physical abuse, sexual abuse, exploitation, and
21    neglect is at the core of the duties and fundamental
22    responsibilities of the General Assembly.
 

 

 

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1    (510 ILCS 70/3)  (from Ch. 8, par. 703)
2    Sec. 3. Owner's duties.
3    (a) Each owner shall provide for each of his or her
4animals:
5        (1) a sufficient quantity of good quality, wholesome
6    food and water;
7        (2) adequate shelter and protection from the weather
8    and, for companion animals, by means of an enclosed
9    structure with appropriate ventilation, sufficient to
10    protect the companion animal from all weather conditions
11    suitable for the age, species, and physical condition of
12    the animal so as to maintain the animal in a state of good
13    health being free from disease or illness and in a
14    condition of proper body weight and temperature for the
15    age and species of the animal; the shelter shall provide
16    adequate bedding to protect against cold and dampness and
17    that is maintained to protect the domestic animal as to
18    not jeopardize the animal's health; crates shall be of
19    sufficient size to allow the animal to fully stretch its
20    body out and move around;
21        (3) veterinary care so as to maintain the animal in a
22    state of good health being free from disease or illness
23    and in a condition of proper body weight and temperature
24    for the age and species of the animal and when needed to
25    prevent suffering; and
26        (4) humane care and treatment, including appropriate

 

 

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1    exercise.
2    (b) To lawfully tether a dog outdoors, an owner must
3ensure that the dog:
4        (1) does not suffer from a condition that is known, by
5    that person, to be exacerbated by tethering;
6        (2) is tethered in a manner that will prevent it from
7    becoming entangled with other tethered dogs;
8        (3) is not tethered with a lead that (i) exceeds
9    one-eighth of the dog's body weight or (ii) is a tow chain
10    or a log chain;
11        (4) is tethered with a lead that measures, when
12    rounded to the nearest whole foot, at least 10 feet in
13    length;
14        (5) is tethered with a properly fitting harness or
15    collar other than the lead or a pinch, prong, or
16    choke-type collar; and
17        (6) is not tethered in a manner that will allow it to
18    reach within the property of another person, a public
19    walkway, or a road.
20    (c) Subsection (b) of this Section shall not be construed
21to prohibit:
22        (1) a person from walking a dog with a hand-held
23    leash;
24        (2) conduct that is directly related to the
25    cultivating of agricultural products, including
26    shepherding or herding cattle or livestock, if the

 

 

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1    restraint is reasonably necessary for the safety of the
2    dog;
3        (3) the tethering of a dog while at an organized and
4    lawful animal function, such as hunting, obedience
5    training, performance and conformance events, or law
6    enforcement training, or while in the pursuit of working
7    or competing in those endeavors; or
8        (4) a dog restrained in compliance with the
9    requirements of a camping or recreational area as defined
10    by a federal, State, or local authority or jurisdiction.
11    (d) A person convicted of violating subsection (a) of this
12Section is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. A second or
13subsequent violation of subsection (a) of this Section is a
14Class 4 felony with every day that a violation continues
15constituting a separate offense. In addition to any other
16penalty provided by law, upon conviction for violating
17subsection (a) of this Section, the court may order the
18convicted person to undergo a psychological or psychiatric
19evaluation and to undergo any treatment at the convicted
20person's expense that the court determines to be appropriate
21after due consideration of the evaluation. If the convicted
22person is a juvenile or a companion animal hoarder, the court
23must order the convicted person to undergo a psychological or
24psychiatric evaluation and to undergo treatment that the court
25determines to be appropriate after due consideration of the
26evaluation.

 

 

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1    (e) A person convicted of violating subsection (b) of this
2Section is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
3    (f) As used in this Section, "tether" means to restrain by
4tying to an object or structure, including, without
5limitation, a house, tree, fence, post, garage, shed, or
6clothes line at a person's residence or business, by any
7means, including, without limitation, a chain, rope, cord,
8leash, or running line.
9(Source: P.A. 98-101, eff. 1-1-14.)
 
10    (510 ILCS 70/3.01)  (from Ch. 8, par. 703.01)
11    Sec. 3.01. Cruel treatment.
12    (a) No person or owner shall may beat, cruelly treat,
13torment, starve, overwork or otherwise abuse any animal.
14    (b) No owner shall may abandon any animal where it may
15become a public charge or may experience pain and suffering
16from suffer injury, hunger or exposure.
17    (c) No owner of a dog or cat that is a companion animal
18shall may expose the dog or cat in a manner that places the dog
19or cat in a life-threatening situation based on the animal's
20age, health, or species, for a prolonged period of time in
21extreme heat or cold conditions that:
22        (1) may result results in injury to or death of the
23    animal; or
24        (2) may result results in hypothermia, hyperthermia,
25    frostbite, or similar condition as diagnosed by a doctor

 

 

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1    of veterinary medicine.
2    (c-5) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit an animal
3from being impounded in an emergency situation under
4subsection (b) of Section 12 of this Act.
5    (c-10) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a law
6enforcement officer from taking temporary custody of a dog or
7cat that is a companion animal that is exposed in a manner that
8places the dog or cat in a life-threatening situation for a
9prolonged period of time in extreme heat or cold conditions
10that may result in injury or death of the dog or cat or may
11result in hypothermia, hyperthermia, frostbite, or similar
12condition. Upon taking temporary custody of the dog or cat
13under this subsection (c-10), the law enforcement officer
14shall attempt to contact the owner of the dog or cat and shall
15seek emergency veterinary care for the animal as soon as
16available. The law enforcement officer shall leave information
17of the location of the dog or cat if the owner cannot be
18reached. The owner of the dog or cat is responsible for any
19costs of providing care to the dog or cat.
20    (d) A person convicted of violating this Section is guilty
21of a Class A misdemeanor. A second or subsequent conviction
22for a violation of this Section is a Class 4 felony. In
23addition to any other penalty provided by law, a person who is
24convicted of violating subsection (a) upon a companion animal
25in the presence of a child, as defined in Section 12-0.1 of the
26Criminal Code of 2012, shall be subject to a fine of $250 and

 

 

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1ordered to perform community service for not less than 100
2hours. In addition to any other penalty provided by law, upon
3conviction for violating this Section, the court may order the
4convicted person to undergo a psychological or psychiatric
5evaluation and to undergo any treatment at the convicted
6person's expense that the court determines to be appropriate
7after due consideration of the evidence. If the convicted
8person is a juvenile or a companion animal hoarder, the court
9must order the convicted person to undergo a psychological or
10psychiatric evaluation and to undergo treatment that the court
11determines to be appropriate after due consideration of the
12evaluation.
13(Source: P.A. 99-311, eff. 1-1-16; 99-357, eff. 1-1-16;
1499-642, eff. 7-28-16; 99-782, eff. 8-12-16; 100-740, eff.
151-1-19.)
 
16    (510 ILCS 70/3.02)
17    Sec. 3.02. Aggravated cruelty.
18    (a) No person shall without legal justification knowingly
19or may intentionally commit an act that causes a companion
20animal to suffer great bodily harm serious injury or death.
21Aggravated cruelty does not include euthanasia of a companion
22animal through recognized methods approved by the Department
23of Agriculture unless prohibited under subsection (b).
24    (b) (Blank). No individual, except a licensed veterinarian
25as exempted under Section 3.09, may knowingly or intentionally

 

 

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1euthanize or authorize the euthanasia of a companion animal by
2use of carbon monoxide.
3    (c) A person convicted of violating Section 3.02 is guilty
4of a Class 4 felony. A second or subsequent violation is a
5Class 3 felony. In addition to any other penalty provided by
6law, upon conviction for violating this Section, the court may
7order the convicted person to undergo a psychological or
8psychiatric evaluation and to undergo any treatment at the
9convicted person's expense that the court determines to be
10appropriate after due consideration of the evaluation. If the
11convicted person is a juvenile or a companion animal hoarder,
12the court must order the convicted person to undergo a
13psychological or psychiatric evaluation and to undergo
14treatment that the court determines to be appropriate after
15due consideration of the evaluation.
16(Source: P.A. 96-780, eff. 8-28-09.)
 
17    (510 ILCS 70/3.025 new)
18    Sec. 3.025. Unlawful theriocide of a companion animal.
19    (a) No person shall without legal justification knowingly
20or intentionally commit an act that causes the death of a
21companion animal. Unlawful theriocide does not include
22euthanasia of a companion animal through recognized methods
23approved by the Department of Agriculture unless prohibited
24under subsection (b).
25    (b) No individual, except a licensed veterinarian as

 

 

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1exempted under Section 3.09, may knowingly or intentionally
2euthanize or authorize the euthanasia of a companion animal by
3use of carbon monoxide.
4    (c) A person convicted of violating this Section is guilty
5of a Class 3 felony. A second or subsequent violation is a
6Class 2 felony. In addition to any other penalty provided by
7law, upon conviction for violating this Section, the court
8shall order the convicted person to undergo a psychological or
9psychiatric evaluation and to undergo any treatment at the
10convicted person's expense that the court determines to be
11appropriate after due consideration of the evaluation. If the
12convicted person is a juvenile or a companion animal hoarder,
13the court shall order the convicted person to undergo a
14psychological or psychiatric evaluation and to undergo
15treatment that the court determines to be appropriate after
16due consideration of the evaluation.