(A) Title. This chapter shall be known as the “Animal Care and Control Ordinance of the County of Lake”, hereinafter referred to as “this chapter”.
(B) Intent.
(1) This chapter is enacted in order to define procedures for:
(a) The prevention and control of human and animal rabies;
(b) Reporting and investigating animal bites;
(c) Confining and/or impounding biting animals, and for referring bitten persons to appropriate health entities;
(d) Requiring the rabies inoculation of dogs and cats, the provision of vaccination certificates and rabies tags, and the registration of dogs and cats with the Lake County Board of Health;
(e) Prohibiting the running at large of domestic animals and livestock;
(f) Persons who cruelly treat or neglect animals;
(g) The control of barking dogs;
(h) The control of dangerous, animal-aggressive or vicious animals;
(i) Providing assistance to municipalities through contractual arrangements;
(j) Contracts with Attorneys; requiring veterinarians to provide dog and cat registrations and tag sales;
(k) Control of domestic animals;
(l) Limiting the number of dogs and cats; and
(m) Providing for enforcement and assigning penalties for violation of this chapter.
(2) The County of Lake recognizes the great hazard of human and animal rabies and therefore, in order to protect the health and safety of the people of Lake County and of the general public, the Lake County Board of Health is authorized and directed to promulgate this chapter as approved by the County Board as may enable it to carry out the provisions of this chapter.
(C) Scope/referenced materials. This chapter adopts by reference the Illinois Animal Control Act, the Illinois Humane Care for Animals Act, and the Illinois Animal Welfare Act, three copies of which are on file with the Lake County Clerk and at all Lake County Health Department locations. All matters pertaining to the health and/or safety of the animals and human residents of the County of Lake shall be administered and enforced in accordance with these referenced Acts, this chapter and the Lake County Animal Care and Control Program Administrative Procedures and Policies.
(D) Authority to enter properties. For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter, the Health Officer, after providing identification to any person(s) present on the property and subject to constitutional limitations, shall have the authority to enter any property where animals are kept or harbored at any reasonable time, and shall also have the authority to ascertain by observation and/or inquiry of the inoculation and/or registration status of an animal.
(E) Administrator of the Animal Care and Control Program. The Lake County Health Department, acting under the direction of the Lake County Board of Health and the County Board and its Chair shall appoint an Administrator of the Animal Care and Control Program in accordance with the requirements of the Illinois Animal Control Act. The Administrator shall enforce and abide by all sections of this chapter. Such appointments shall be made as necessary to keep this position filled at all times. For the purposes of the enforcement of this chapter, the term
ADMINISTRATOR
shall mean the “Administrator or his or her designee”.
(F) Credentials. The Health Officer and authorized representatives shall carry proper credentials of their respective office in the performance of duties under this chapter.
(G) Exemption from liability. The Health Officer, or other persons authorized to enforce the provisions of this chapter, shall not be held liable for the injury, death or disease which may occur to any dog, cat or other animal as a consequence of the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.
(Ord. [Bd of Health Ord., Art. X], passed 11-9-1976; Ord. [Bd of Health Ord., Art. X], passed 4-10-1979; Ord. [Bd of Health Ord., Art. X], passed 10-9-1984; Ord. [Bd of Health Ord., Art. X], passed 12-20-1984; Ord. [Bd of Health Ord., Art. X], passed 6-11-1990; Ord. [Bd of Health Ord., Art. X], passed 1-10-1995; Ord. [Bd of Health Ord., Art. X], passed 11-12-1996; Ord. [Bd of Health Ord., Art. X], passed 3-15-2011; Ord. [Bd of Health Ord., Art. X], passed 1-15-2013; Ord. 22-0673, passed 5-10-2022)