(A) Cruelty to and endangering of animals. No person shall beat, cruelly ill treat, torment or abuse any animal or bird. No person shall throw or deposit any poisonous substance on any exposed or private place where it may endanger any animal. No person shall provoke any animal to bark or bite by taunting it. It shall be a violation of this chapter for any person convicted of a violation of this section, or any similar provision of Illinois law, to own, keep, harbor or act as custodian for any dog or other animal for a period of five years from the date of said conviction.
(B) Inhumane treatment. No person shall tie, confine or otherwise restrain any animal or bird in such a manner as to constitute cruel or inhumane treatment. Tethering a dog outdoors shall be deemed to be inhumane treatment, unless the tethering is in compliance with the following requirements.
(1) It does not suffer from a condition that is known, by that person, to be exacerbated by tethering;
(2) Is tethered in a manner that will prevent it from becoming entangled with other tethered dogs;
(3) Is not tethered with a lead that (i) exceeds one-eighth of the dog’s body weight or (ii) is a tow chain or a log chain;
(4) Is tethered with a lead that measures, when rounded to the nearest whole foot, at least 10 feet in length;
(5) Is tethered with a properly fitting harness or collar other than the lead or a pinch, prong, or choke-type collar;
(6) Is not tethered in a manner that will allow it to reach within the property of another person, public walkway, or a road; and
(7) Is not tethered for more than 6 hours in a 24-hour period.
As used in this section, TETHER means to restrain by tying to an object or structure, including, without limitation, a house, tree, fence, post, garage, shed, or clothes line at a person’s residence or business, by any means, including without limitation, a chain, rope, cord, leash, or running line.
(C) Abandonment. It shall be unlawful for any animal owner to abandon an animal where it may become a public charge or may suffer injury or exposure. Any person violating the provisions of this division (C) shall be subject to a fine as set forth in § 90.999.
(D) Impoundment procedure. The animal control officer is hereby authorized to remove from any premises and impound any animal or bird on which cruel treatment is being inflicted as listed in this section.
(1990 Code, § 4-21) (Ord. 84-935, passed 2-20-1984; Ord. 94-1585, passed 6-20-1994; Ord. 99-1924, passed 10-4-1999; Ord. 13-3429, passed 12-16-2013) Penalty, see § 90.999
Statutory reference:
Cruelty to animals, see ILCS Ch. 510, Act 70, §§ 3.01 et seq.