HB5604 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB5604

Introduced , by Rep. Keith P. Sommer

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

510 ILCS 5/10

from Ch. 8, par. 360

Amends the Animal Control Act. Provides that a County Animal Control that is located in a county that has been declared a disaster area under the Disaster Relief Act due to a natural disaster, or in a county which a part of the county has been declared a disaster area under the Disaster Relief Act due to a natural disaster, shall retain impounded animals for twice its normal retention time or for a minimum of 14 days after the disaster declaration, whichever is longer, before the County Animal Control may proceed with the adoption, transfer, or euthanasia of the impounded animal. Provides that a County Animal Control shall keep a detailed list of the impounded animals that were transferred to another facility for a minimum of one month after the disaster. Provides that facilities receiving transferred animals shall retain the impounded animals for twice its normal retention time or for a minimum of 14 days after the disaster declaration, whichever is longer. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning animals.

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

Section 5. The Animal Control Act is amended by changing Section 10 as follows:

(510 ILCS 5/10) (from Ch. 8, par. 360)

Sec. 10. Impoundment; redemption. When dogs or cats are apprehended and impounded, they must be scanned for the presence of a microchip and examined for other currently acceptable methods of identification, including, but not limited to, identification tags, tattoos, and rabies license tags. The examination for identification shall be done within 24 hours after the intake of each dog or cat. The Administrator shall make every reasonable attempt to contact the owner as defined by Section 2.16, agent, or caretaker as soon as possible. The Administrator shall give notice of not less than 7 business days to the owner, agent, or caretaker prior to disposal of the animal. Such notice shall be mailed to the last known address of the owner, agent, or caretaker. Testimony of the Administrator, or his or her authorized agent, who mails such notice shall be evidence of the receipt of such notice by the owner, agent, or caretaker of the animal. A mailed notice shall remain the primary means of owner, agent, or caretaker contact; however, the Administrator shall also attempt to contact the owner, agent, or caretaker by any other contact information, such as by telephone or email address, provided by the microchip or other method of identification found on the dog or cat. If the dog or cat has been microchipped and the primary contact listed by the chip manufacturer cannot be located or refuses to reclaim the dog or cat, an attempt shall be made to contact any secondary contacts listed by the chip manufacturer prior to adoption, transfer, or euthanization. Prior to transferring the dog or cat to another humane shelter, rescue group, or euthanization, the dog or cat shall be scanned again for the presence of a microchip and examined for other means of identification. If a second scan provides the same identifying information as the initial intake scan and the owner, agent, or caretaker has not been located or refuses to reclaim the dog or cat, the animal control facility may proceed with the adoption, transfer, or euthanization.

In case the owner, agent, or caretaker of any impounded dog or cat desires to make redemption thereof, he or she may do so by doing the following:

a. Presenting proof of current rabies inoculation and registration, if applicable.

b. Paying for the rabies inoculation of the dog or cat and registration, if applicable.

c. Paying the pound for the board of the dog or cat for the period it was impounded.

d. Paying into the Animal Control Fund an additional impoundment fee as prescribed by the Board as a penalty for the first offense and for each subsequent offense.

e. Paying a $25 public safety fine to be deposited into the Pet Population Control Fund; the fine shall be waived if it is the dog's or cat's first impoundment and the owner, agent, or caretaker has the animal spayed or neutered within 14 days.

f. Paying for microchipping and registration if not already done.

The payments required for redemption under this Section shall be in addition to any other penalties invoked under this Act and the Illinois Public Health and Safety Animal Population Control Act. An animal control agency shall assist and share information with the Director of Public Health in the collection of public safety fines.

A County Animal Control that is located in a county that has been declared a disaster area under the Disaster Relief Act due to a natural disaster, or in a county which a part of the county has been declared a disaster area under the Disaster Relief Act due to a natural disaster, shall retain impounded animals for twice its normal retention time or for a minimum of 14 days after the disaster declaration, whichever is longer, before the County Animal Control may proceed with the adoption, transfer, or euthanasia of the impounded animal. If the County Animal Control is at full capacity following a natural disaster, impounded animals may be transferred to another facility at any time. The County Animal Control shall keep a detailed list of the impounded animals that were transferred to another facility for a minimum of one month after the disaster. The facility receiving those transferred animals shall retain the impounded animals for twice its normal retention time or for a minimum of 14 days after the disaster declaration, whichever is longer.

(Source: P.A. 97-240, eff. 1-1-12.)

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