Sen. Thomas Cullerton

Filed: 5/21/2015

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4029

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 4029, AS AMENDED, by
3replacing everything after the enacting clause with the
4following:
 
5    "Section 5. The Animal Welfare Act is amended by changing
6Sections 2, 3.4, and 10 and by adding Sections 3.6 and 3.7 as
7follows:
 
8    (225 ILCS 605/2)  (from Ch. 8, par. 302)
9    Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act unless the context
10otherwise requires:
11    "Department" means the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
12    "Director" means the Director of the Illinois Department of
13Agriculture.
14    "Pet shop operator" means any person who sells, offers to
15sell, exchange, or offers for adoption with or without charge
16or donation dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, or other animals

 

 

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1customarily obtained as pets in this State. However, a person
2who sells only such animals that he has produced and raised
3shall not be considered a pet shop operator under this Act, and
4a veterinary hospital or clinic operated by a veterinarian or
5veterinarians licensed under the Veterinary Medicine and
6Surgery Practice Act of 2004 shall not be considered a pet shop
7operator under this Act.
8    "Dog dealer" means any person who sells, offers to sell,
9exchange, or offers for adoption with or without charge or
10donation dogs in this State. However, a person who sells only
11dogs that he has produced and raised shall not be considered a
12dog dealer under this Act, and a veterinary hospital or clinic
13operated by a veterinarian or veterinarians licensed under the
14Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004 shall not
15be considered a dog dealer under this Act.
16    "Secretary of Agriculture" or "Secretary" means the
17Secretary of Agriculture of the United States Department of
18Agriculture.
19    "Person" means any person, firm, corporation, partnership,
20association or other legal entity, any public or private
21institution, the State of Illinois, or any municipal
22corporation or political subdivision of the State.
23    "Kennel operator" means any person who operates an
24establishment, other than an animal control facility,
25veterinary hospital, or animal shelter, where dogs or dogs and
26cats are maintained for boarding, training or similar purposes

 

 

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1for a fee or compensation; or who sells, offers to sell,
2exchange, or offers for adoption with or without charge dogs or
3dogs and cats which he has produced and raised. A person who
4owns, has possession of, or harbors 5 or less females capable
5of reproduction shall not be considered a kennel operator.
6    "Cattery operator" means any person who operates an
7establishment, other than an animal control facility or animal
8shelter, where cats are maintained for boarding, training or
9similar purposes for a fee or compensation; or who sells,
10offers to sell, exchange, or offers for adoption with or
11without charges cats which he has produced and raised. A person
12who owns, has possession of, or harbors 5 or less females
13capable of reproduction shall not be considered a cattery
14operator.
15    "Animal control facility" means any facility operated by or
16under contract for the State, county, or any municipal
17corporation or political subdivision of the State for the
18purpose of impounding or harboring seized, stray, homeless,
19abandoned or unwanted dogs, cats, and other animals. "Animal
20control facility" also means any veterinary hospital or clinic
21operated by a veterinarian or veterinarians licensed under the
22Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004 which
23operates for the above mentioned purpose in addition to its
24customary purposes.
25    "Animal shelter" means a facility operated, owned, or
26maintained by a duly incorporated humane society, animal

 

 

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1welfare society, or other non-profit organization for the
2purpose of providing for and promoting the welfare, protection,
3and humane treatment of animals. "Animal shelter" also means
4any veterinary hospital or clinic operated by a veterinarian or
5veterinarians licensed under the Veterinary Medicine and
6Surgery Practice Act of 2004 which operates for the above
7mentioned purpose in addition to its customary purposes.
8    "Foster home" means an entity that accepts the
9responsibility for stewardship of animals that are the
10obligation of an animal shelter, not to exceed 4 animals at any
11given time. Permits to operate as a "foster home" shall be
12issued through the animal shelter.
13    "Guard dog service" means an entity that, for a fee,
14furnishes or leases guard or sentry dogs for the protection of
15life or property. A person is not a guard dog service solely
16because he or she owns a dog and uses it to guard his or her
17home, business, or farmland.
18    "Guard dog" means a type of dog used primarily for the
19purpose of defending, patrolling, or protecting property or
20life at a commercial establishment other than a farm. "Guard
21dog" does not include stock dogs used primarily for handling
22and controlling livestock or farm animals, nor does it include
23personally owned pets that also provide security.
24    "Sentry dog" means a dog trained to work without
25supervision in a fenced facility other than a farm, and to
26deter or detain unauthorized persons found within the facility.

 

 

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1    "Probationary status" means the 12-month period following
2a series of violations of this Act during which any further
3violation shall result in an automatic 12-month suspension of
4licensure.
5    "Owner" means any person having a right of property in an
6animal, who keeps or harbors an animal, who has an animal in
7his or her care or acts as its custodian, or who knowingly
8permits a dog to remain on any premises occupied by him or her.
9"Owner" does not include a feral cat caretaker participating in
10a trap, spay/neuter, return or release program.
11(Source: P.A. 95-550, eff. 6-1-08.)
 
12    (225 ILCS 605/3.4)
13    Sec. 3.4. Transfer Release of animals between to shelters.
14An animal shelter or animal control facility may not release
15any animal to an individual representing an animal shelter,
16unless (1) the recipient animal shelter has been licensed or
17has a foster care permit issued by the Department or (2) the
18individual is a representative of a not-for-profit,
19out-of-State organization who is transferring the animal out of
20the State of Illinois.
21(Source: P.A. 96-314, eff. 8-11-09.)
 
22    (225 ILCS 605/3.6 new)
23    Sec. 3.6. Acceptance of stray dogs and cats.
24    (a) No animal shelter may accept a stray dog or cat unless

 

 

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1the animal is reported by the shelter to the animal control or
2law enforcement of the county in which the animal is found by
3the next business day. An animal shelter may accept animals
4from: (1) the owner of the animal where the owner signs a
5relinquishment form which states he or she is the owner of the
6animal; (2) an animal shelter licensed under this Act; or (3)
7an out-of-state animal control facility, rescue group, or
8animal shelter that is duly licensed in their state or is a
9not-for-profit organization.
10    (b) When stray dogs and cats are accepted by an animal
11shelter, they must be scanned for the presence of a microchip
12and examined for other currently-acceptable methods of
13identification, including, but not limited to, identification
14tags, tattoos, and rabies license tags. The examination for
15identification shall be done within 24 hours after the intake
16of each dog or cat. The animal shelter shall notify the owner
17and transfer any dog with an identified owner to the animal
18control or law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction in which
19it was found or the local animal control agency for redemption.
20    (c) If no transfer can occur, the animal shelter shall make
21every reasonable attempt to contact the owner, agent, or
22caretaker as soon as possible. The animal shelter shall give
23notice of not less than 7 business days to the owner, agent, or
24caretaker prior to disposal of the animal. The notice shall be
25mailed to the last known address of the owner, agent, or
26caretaker. Testimony of the animal shelter, or its authorized

 

 

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1agent, who mails the notice shall be evidence of the receipt of
2the notice by the owner, agent, or caretaker of the animal. A
3mailed notice shall remain the primary means of owner, agent,
4or caretaker contact; however, the animal shelter shall also
5attempt to contact the owner, agent, or caretaker by any other
6contact information, such as by telephone or email address,
7provided by the microchip or other method of identification
8found on the dog or cat. If the dog or cat has been
9microchipped and the primary contact listed by the chip
10manufacturer cannot be located or refuses to reclaim the dog or
11cat, an attempt shall be made to contact any secondary contacts
12listed by the chip manufacturer prior to adoption, transfer, or
13euthanization. Prior to transferring any stray dog or cat to
14another humane shelter or rescue group or euthanization, the
15dog or cat shall be scanned again for the presence of a
16microchip and examined for other means of identification. If a
17second scan provides the same identifying information as the
18initial intake scan and the owner, agent, or caretaker has not
19been located or refuses to reclaim the dog or cat, the animal
20shelter may proceed with adoption, transfer, or euthanization.
21    (d) When stray dogs and cats are accepted by an animal
22shelter and no owner can be identified, the shelter shall hold
23the animal for the period specified in local ordinance prior to
24adoption, transfer, or euthanasia. The animal shelter shall
25allow access to the public to view the animals housed there. If
26a dog is identified by an owner who desires to make redemption

 

 

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1of it, the dog shall be transferred to the local animal control
2for redemption. If no transfer can occur, the animal shelter
3shall proceed pursuant to Section 3.7. Upon lapse of the hold
4period specified in local ordinance and no owner can be
5identified, ownership of the animal, by operation of law,
6transfers to the shelter that has custody of the animal.
7    (e) No representative of an animal shelter may enter
8private property and remove an animal without permission from
9the property owner and animal owner, nor can any representative
10of an animal shelter direct another individual to enter private
11property and remove an animal unless that individual is an
12approved humane investigator (approved by the Department)
13operating pursuant to the provisions of the Humane Care for
14Animals Act.
15    (f) Nothing in this Section limits an animal shelter and an
16animal control facility who, through mutual agreement, wish to
17enter into an agreement for animal control, boarding, holding,
18or other services provided that the agreement requires parties
19adhere to the provisions of the Animal Control Act, the Humane
20Euthanasia in Animal Shelters Act, and the Humane Care for
21Animals Act.
 
22    (225 ILCS 605/3.7 new)
23    Sec. 3.7. Redemption of stray dogs and cats from animal
24shelters. Any owner, agent, or caretaker wishing to make
25redemption of a dog or cat held by a shelter under the

 

 

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1provisions of subsection (c) of Section 3.6 of this Act may do
2so by doing the following:
3        (1) paying the shelter for the board of the dog or cat
4    for the period the shelter was in possession of the animal;
5    the daily boarding rate shall not exceed the daily boarding
6    rate of the animal control agency in the jurisdiction in
7    which the shelter is located; and
8        (2) paying the shelter for reasonable costs of
9    veterinary care, if applicable.
10    The shelter has the option to waive any fees or veterinary
11costs.
 
12    (225 ILCS 605/10)  (from Ch. 8, par. 310)
13    Sec. 10. Grounds for discipline. The Department may refuse
14to issue or renew or may suspend or revoke a license on any one
15or more of the following grounds:
16    a. Material misstatement in the application for original
17license or in the application for any renewal license under
18this Act;
19    b. A violation of this Act or of any regulations or rules
20issued pursuant thereto;
21    c. Aiding or abetting another in the violation of this Act
22or of any regulation or rule issued pursuant thereto;
23    d. Allowing one's license under this Act to be used by an
24unlicensed person;
25    e. Conviction of any crime an essential element of which is

 

 

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1misstatement, fraud or dishonesty or conviction of any felony,
2if the Department determines, after investigation, that such
3person has not been sufficiently rehabilitated to warrant the
4public trust;
5    f. Conviction of a violation of any law of Illinois except
6minor violations such as traffic violations and violations not
7related to the disposition of dogs, cats and other animals or
8any rule or regulation of the Department relating to dogs or
9cats and sale thereof;
10    g. Making substantial misrepresentations or false promises
11of a character likely to influence, persuade or induce in
12connection with the business of a licensee under this Act;
13    h. Pursuing a continued course of misrepresentation of or
14making false promises through advertising, salesman, agents or
15otherwise in connection with the business of a licensee under
16this Act;
17    i. Failure to possess the necessary qualifications or to
18meet the requirements of the Act for the issuance or holding a
19license; or
20    j. Proof that the licensee is guilty of gross negligence,
21incompetency, or cruelty with regard to animals.
22    The Department may refuse to issue or may suspend the
23license of any person who fails to file a return, or to pay the
24tax, penalty or interest shown in a filed return, or to pay any
25final assessment of tax, penalty or interest, as required by
26any tax Act administered by the Illinois Department of Revenue,

 

 

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1until such time as the requirements of any such tax Act are
2satisfied.
3    The Department may order any licensee to cease operation
4for a period not to exceed 72 hours to correct deficiencies in
5order to meet licensing requirements.
6    If the Department revokes a license under this Act at an
7administrative hearing, the licensee and any individuals
8associated with that license shall be prohibited from applying
9for or obtaining a license under this Act for a minimum of 3
10years.
11(Source: P.A. 89-178, eff. 7-19-95; 90-385, eff. 8-15-97;
1290-403, eff. 8-15-97.)".