For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ACT. The Animal Control Act, 510 ILCS 5/1 through 5/27, as amended.
ADMINISTRATOR. The Chief of Police of the village, or his or her duly designated agent, police officers, or animal control officer.
ANIMAL. Any animal, both domestic and wild, other than humans, which may be affected by rabies.
ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY. May be used interchangeably and mean any facility approved by the administrator for the purpose of enforcing the Animal Control Act and Humane Control of Animals Act and used as a shelter for seized, stray, homeless, abandoned, or unwanted dogs or other animals.
ANIMAL CONTROL WARDEN. Persons appointed by the administrator to perform duties assigned by the administrator as set forth in this chapter.
AT LARGE. Any dog or cat shall be deemed to be AT LARGE when it is off the premises of its owner’s real property and not restrained by a competent person.
BREEDABLE FEMALES. Any dog or cat that is six months or older and is not spayed.
CAT. All domestic members of the family Felis catus domesticus.
COMPETENT PERSON. A human being over the age of 15 years that is capable of controlling and governing the dog or cat in question, and to whose commands the dog or cat is obedient.
CONFINED. The restriction of an animal at all times by the owner, or his or her agent, to an escapeproof building or other enclosure away from other animals and the public.
DANGEROUS DOG. Any individual dog when unmuzzled, unleashed, or unattended by its owner or custodian that behaves in a manner that any reasonable person would believe poses a serious and imminent threat or serious physical injury or death to a person or a companion animal.
DEPARTMENT. The Department of Agriculture of the state.
DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR. Member of the Village Police Department and member of other law enforcement agencies appointed by the Chief of Police.
DIRECTOR. The Director of the Department of Agriculture of the state or his or her duly appointed representative.
DOG. All domestic members of the family Canis familiaris.
DWELLING UNIT. A single unit providing complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation.
ENCLOSURE. A fence or structure of at least six feet in height, forming or causing an enclosure suitable to prevent the entry of young children, and suitable to confine a vicious dog in connection with other means which may be taken by the owner or keeper, such as tethering of a vicious dog within the ENCLOSURE.
(1) Such ENCLOSURE shall be securely enclosed and locked and designed with secure sides, top, and bottom and shall be designed to prevent the animal from escaping from the ENCLOSURE.
(2) Such ENCLOSURE must be approved by the administrator.
FERAL CAT. A cat that:
(1) Is born in the wild or is the offspring of an owned or feral cat and is not socialized; or
(2) Is a formerly owned cat that has been abandoned and is no longer socialized.
HAS BEEN BITTEN. Has been seized with the teeth or jaws so that the person or animal seized has been nipped, gripped, wounded, or pierced. The phrase further includes contact of saliva with any break or abrasion of the skin.
HUMANELY DISPATCHED. The painless administration of a lethal dose of an agent which shall cause the painless death of an animal as prescribed in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, January 15, 1993. Said methods shall not destroy brain tissue necessary for laboratory examination for rabies. Animals shall be handled prior to administration of the agent in such a manner as to avoid undue apprehension by the animal.
IMPOUNDED. Taken into custody of the public animal control facility in the village, town, or county where the animal is found.
INOCULATIONS AGAINST RABIES. The injection of an antirabies vaccine approved by the Department.
INTACT ANIMAL. An animal that has not been spayed or neutered.
KITTENS. All domestic members of the family Felis catus domesticus, male or female, under the age of four months.
LEASH. A cord, rope, strap, or chain which shall be securely fastened to the collar or harness of a dog or other animal and shall be of sufficient strength to keep such dog or other animal under control.
LICENSED VETERINARIAN. A veterinarian licensed by the state in which he or she engages in the practice of veterinary medicine.
MULTIPLE PET OWNER. Any person who harbors more than three dogs or cats, or any combination thereof, over four months of age on their property or in their dwelling unit.
OWNER. A person having a right of property in an animal, or who keeps or harbors an animal, or who has it in his or her care, or acts as its custodian, or who knowingly permits a domestic animal to remain on or about any premises occupied by him or her.
PERSON. Any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, society, association, or other legal entity, any public or private institution, the state, municipal corporation, or political subdivision of the state, or any other business unit.
PHYSICAL INJURY. The impairment of physical condition.
PUPPY. All members of the family Canis familiaris, whether male or female, under four months of age.
REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE. A printed form prescribed by the Department for the purpose of recording pertinent information as required by the Department under this chapter.
RESTRAINT. An owned animal, off the premises of its owner’s real property, is under RESTRAINT within the meaning of this chapter:
(1) If it is controlled by a line or leash not more than six feet in length when said line or leash is held by a competent person;
(2) If it is controlled by a leash of 50 feet or less during a training session conducted by a competent person;
(3) When it is within a vehicle being driven, parked, or stopped;
(4) When it is confined in a cage or other animal carrier; and/or
(5) While it is utilized in the sport of hunting.
RURAL. The unincorporated area around the village which has not been subdivided for residential purposes.
SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY. A physical injury that creates a substantial risk of death or that causes death, serious or protracted disfigurement, protracted impairment of health, impairment of the function of any bodily organ, or plastic surgery.
SHELTER. A structure which has four sides, a roof, floor, and bedding.
(1) The SHELTER shall be of sufficient size to permit an animal to stand up and turn around inside when fully grown and allow retention of body heat.
(2) The SHELTER shall be placed to provide shade from the sun and protection from the weather.
STERILIZED. The surgical spay of a female animal or castration of a male animal, so as to render such animal incapable of reproducing.
STRAY. An animal which is “straying” as defined in this section.
STRAYING. A dog or other animal not on the premises of the owner or not confined or under control by leash or other recognized control methods.
TAG. A serially numbered medallion approved by the Department to be issued, at a fee set by the Village Board, as evidence of inoculation against rabies.
VICIOUS DOG. A dog that bites a person, attacks a person, or causes physical injury, serious physical injury, or death to a person or a companion animal or any individual dog that has been found to be a “dangerous dog” upon two separate occasions.
WILD ANIMAL. A wolf, coyote, or the offspring of a mating between a wolf or coyote and a dog (hybrid names: coydog or wolf hybrid). There is no recognized vaccine approved for use on WILD ANIMALS; therefore, WILD ANIMALS shall not be vaccinated against rabies and will be impounded for no rabies vaccination.
(Prior Code, § 5-5-2) (Ord. 688, passed 3-1-2010)