SR0500 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0500 LRB093 21616 HSS 49811 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Controlling the dog and cat population would have a significant benefit to the public health by aiding in the prevention of dog attacks, reducing the number of dog and cat bite cases involving children, and decreasing the number of automobile accidents caused by stray dogs and cats; and

WHEREAS, Controlling the dog and cat population will save taxpayer dollars by reducing the number of dogs and cats handled by county and municipal animal control agencies; a program was implemented in New Hampshire in 1994 and has significantly reduced the number of dogs and cats euthanized in shelters in that state; every dollar spent on the New Hampshire neutering program has saved $3.15 in reduced impoundment costs there; and

WHEREAS, It is in the best interest of the State of Illinois to study the issues relating to dog and cat over-population; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Dog and Cat Population Control Advisory Committee is hereby created to study the dog and cat over-population problems; the Committee shall be made up of 9 members as follows: The President of the Senate or his designee, the Minority Leader of the Senate or his designee, the Director of Agriculture or his designee, and the following members appointed by the President of the Senate: one veterinarian who is a county animal control administrator; one veterinarian who is a member of the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association; one representative from a high volume, low cost spay-neuter clinic that runs a targeted program for the pets of low-income clients; one veterinarian who runs a practice and coordinates a feral cat/trap/neuter/return program; one representative from a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals or humane society; and one dog or cat owner; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Advisory Committee shall hold one meeting in Cook County and one meeting in Southern Illinois and shall report its findings to the General Assembly on or before November 1, 2004; after the Committee reports its findings, it is dissolved; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Director of Agriculture.