Public Act 099-0658
 
HB6084 EnrolledLRB099 19296 SLF 43688 b

    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
Sections 8 and 13 as follows:
 
    (510 ILCS 5/8)  (from Ch. 8, par. 358)
    Sec. 8. Rabies inoculation. Every owner of a dog 4 months
or more of age shall have each dog inoculated against rabies by
a licensed veterinarian. Every dog shall have a second rabies
vaccination within one year of the first. Terms of subsequent
vaccine administration and duration of immunity must be in
compliance with USDA licenses of vaccines used. A veterinarian
immunizing a dog, cat, or ferret against rabies shall provide
the Administrator of the county in which the dog, cat, or
ferret resides with a certificate of immunization. Evidence of
such rabies inoculation shall be entered on a certificate the
form of which shall be approved by the Board and which shall
contain the microchip number of the dog, cat, or ferret animal
if it has one and which shall be signed by the licensed
veterinarian administering the vaccine. Only one dog, cat, or
ferret shall be included on each certificate. Veterinarians who
inoculate a dog shall procure from the County Animal Control in
the county where their office is located serially numbered
tags, one to be issued with each inoculation certificate. Only
one dog shall be included on each certificate. The veterinarian
immunizing or microchipping an animal shall provide the
Administrator of the county in which the animal resides with a
certificate of immunization and microchip number. The Board
shall cause a rabies inoculation tag to be issued, at a fee
established by the Board for each dog inoculated against
rabies.
    Rabies vaccine for use on animals shall be sold or
distributed only to and used only by licensed veterinarians.
Such rabies vaccine shall be licensed by the United States
Department of Agriculture.
    If a licensed veterinarian determines in writing that a
rabies inoculation would compromise an animal's health, then
the animal shall be exempt from the rabies inoculation shot
requirement, however, but the owner is must still be
responsible for the tag fees.
    If a bite occurs from an exempt animal, the exempt animal
shall be treated as an unvaccinated animal. If the animal is
exempt, the animal shall be re-examined by a licensed
veterinarian on no less than an annual basis and be vaccinated
against rabies as soon as the animal's health permits.
(Source: P.A. 93-548, eff. 8-19-03; 94-639, eff. 8-22-05.)
 
    (510 ILCS 5/13)  (from Ch. 8, par. 363)
    Sec. 13. Dog or other animal bites; observation of animal.
    (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections subsection
(b) and (c) of this Section, when the Administrator or, if the
Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator
receives information that any person has been bitten by an
animal, the Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a
veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator, or his or her
authorized representative, shall have such dog or other animal
confined under the observation of a licensed veterinarian for a
period of 10 days. The confinement shall be for a period of not
less than 10 days from the date the bite occurred and shall
continue until the animal has been examined and released from
confinement by a licensed veterinarian. The Administrator or,
if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy
Administrator Department may permit such confinement to be
reduced to a period of less than 10 days.
    (a-5) The owner, or if the owner is unavailable, an agent
or caretaker of an animal documented to have bitten a person
shall present the animal to a licensed veterinarian within 24
hours. A veterinarian presented with an animal documented to
have bitten a person shall make a record of report the clinical
condition of the animal immediately. , with confirmation in
writing to the Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a
veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator within 24 hours after
the animal is presented for examination, giving the owner's
name, address, the date of confinement, the breed, description,
age, and sex of the animal, and whether the animal has been
spayed or neutered, on appropriate forms approved by the
Department. The Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a
veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator shall notify the
attending physician or responsible health agency. At the end of
the confinement period, the animal shall be examined by a
licensed veterinarian, inoculated against rabies, if eligible,
and microchipped, if the dog or cat has not been already, at
the expense of the owner. The veterinarian shall submit a
written report listing the owner's name, address, dates of
confinement, dates of examination, species, breed,
description, age, sex, and microchip number of the animal to
the Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a
veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator advising him or her of
the clinical condition and the final disposition of the animal
on appropriate forms approved by the Department. The
Administrator shall notify the person who has been bitten, and
in the case of confirmed rabies in the animal, the attending
physician or responsible health agency advising of the clinical
condition of the animal. When evidence is presented that the
animal was inoculated against rabies within the time prescribed
by law, it shall be confined in a house, or in a manner which
will prohibit it from biting any person for a period of 10
days, if a licensed veterinarian adjudges such confinement
satisfactory. The Department may permit such confinement to be
reduced to a period of less than 10 days. At the end of the
confinement period, the animal shall be examined by a licensed
veterinarian.
    (a-10) When the Administrator or, if the Administrator is
not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator or his or her
authorized representative receives information that a person
has been bitten by an animal and evidence is presented that the
animal at the time the bite occurred was inoculated against
rabies within the time prescribed by law, the animal may be
confined in a house, or in a manner which will prohibit the
animal from biting a person, if the Administrator, Deputy
Administrator, or his or her authorized representative
determines the confinement satisfactory. The confinement shall
be for a period of not less than 10 days from the date the bite
occurred and shall continue until the animal has been examined
and released from confinement by a licensed veterinarian. The
Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian,
the Deputy Administrator may instruct the owner, agent, or
caretaker to have the animal examined by a licensed
veterinarian immediately. The Administrator or, if the
Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator
may permit the confinement to be reduced to a period of less
than 10 days. At the end of the confinement period, the animal
shall be examined by a licensed veterinarian and microchipped,
if the dog or cat is not already, at the expense of the owner.
The veterinarian shall submit a written report listing the
owner's name, address, dates of examination, species, breed,
description, age, sex, and microchip number of the animal to
the Administrator advising him or her of the clinical condition
and the final disposition of the animal on appropriate forms
approved by the Department. The Administrator shall notify the
person who has been bitten and, in case of confirmed rabies in
the animal, the attending physician or responsible health
agency advising of the clinical condition of the animal.
    (a-15) Any person having knowledge that any person has been
bitten by an animal shall notify the Administrator or, if the
Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator
within 24 hours promptly.
    (a-20) It is unlawful for the owner of the animal to
conceal the whereabouts, euthanize, sell, give away, or
otherwise dispose of any animal known to have bitten a person,
until it is examined and released from confinement by the
Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian,
the Deputy Administrator, or licensed veterinarian or his or
her authorized representative. It is unlawful for the owner of
the animal to refuse or fail to immediately comply with the
reasonable written or printed instructions made by the
Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian,
the Deputy Administrator, or his or her authorized
representative. If such instructions cannot be delivered in
person, they shall be mailed to the owner of the animal by
regular mail. Any expense incurred in the handling of an animal
under this Section and Section 12 shall be borne by the owner.
The owner of a biting animal must also remit to the Department
of Public Health, for deposit into the Pet Population Control
Fund, a $25 public safety fine within 30 days after notice.
    (b) When a person has been bitten by a police dog that is
currently vaccinated against rabies, the police dog may
continue to perform its duties for the peace officer or law
enforcement agency and any period of observation of the police
dog may be under the supervision of a peace officer. The
supervision shall consist of the dog being locked in a kennel,
performing its official duties in a police vehicle, or
remaining under the constant supervision of its police handler.
    (c) When a person has been bitten by a search and rescue
dog that is currently vaccinated against rabies, the search and
rescue dog may continue to perform its duties for the handler
or owner or agency and any period of observation of the dog may
be under the supervision of its handler or owner. The
supervision shall consist of the dog being locked in a kennel,
performing its official duties in a vehicle, or remaining under
the constant supervision of its handler or owner.
    (d) Any person convicted of violating subsection (a-20) of
this Section is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a first
violation. A second or subsequent violation is a Class 4
felony.
(Source: P.A. 93-548, eff. 8-19-03; 94-639, eff. 8-22-05.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.