A. Vaccination and Registration: All dogs and cats four (4) months of age or older, and all feral cats presented to a licensed veterinarian for sterilization, unless the person presenting the feral cat for care provides a vaccination certificate showing the feral cat has been vaccinated against rabies, will be properly vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian. At the time of vaccination, registration certificates will be completed by the veterinarian and forwarded to the Lee County Animal Control. Terms of subsequent vaccine administration and duration of immunity must be in compliance with USDA licenses of vaccines used. Evidence of such rabies inoculation shall be entered on a certificate the form of which shall be approved by the county board and which shall contain the microchip number of the animal if it has one and which shall be signed by the licensed veterinarian administering the vaccine. A new rabies vaccine supersedes any previous vaccine. A new rabies tag (registration) will be purchased at that time.
1. Registration certificates must include; the animal's species, name, breed, sex, color, identifying markers, age, weight, and microchip number (if applicable). The certificate must also include the animal owner's name and physical address. Certificates that are not complete will not be honored as valid certificates.
B. Registration Fees: Registration fees shall be collected at the time of the inoculation by the veterinarian who inoculates the dog or cat. If the registration fees are not collected by the veterinarian at the time of inoculation it is the responsibility of the owner to provide documentation of the vaccination and remit payment of the registration fees to Lee County Animal Control within ten (10) business days from the date of inoculation.
1. Veterinarians authorized to collect registration fees and distribute inoculation tags on behalf of the county must remit all certificates of those animals inoculated along with all monies due to Lee County Animal Control no later than the 5th of every month following the month of inoculation. A veterinarian clinic inoculating more than forty (40) animals a month must remit certificates and monies due no later than the fifth and the twentieth of each month.
2. Veterinarians not authorized by the county to collect registration fees and distribute inoculation tags shall submit certificates of all animals inoculated no less than once every fourteen (14) calendar days.
C. Senior Citizen Exemption: Persons sixty-five (65) years of age or older shall be exempt from the rabies registration fees collected by the veterinarian for one dog and one cat per household.
D. Three (3) year Vaccination and Registration: If a dog or cat owner elects to have a three-year vaccination, a three-year registration fee will be collected at the time of registration by the veterinarian who vaccinates the dog or cat. If registration fees are not collected by the veterinarian at the time of vaccination, it is the responsibility of the owner to provide documentation of vaccination and remit payment of registration fees directly to Lee County Animal Control within ten (10) business days from the date of vaccination.
E. Registration Fees: The cost of registration shall be set forth in the fee schedule. Any animal owner who is over thirty (30) days past due on either the vaccination or registration portion of the requirement shall pay double the registration fee.
F. Valid rabies inoculation tags and certificates from other counties shall be honored while the animal is in transit or while the dog is being kept in the County for thirty (30) days or less. Any dog residing in the county for more than thirty (30) days shall be registered with Lee County Animal Control.
G. Any dog or cat owner who relocates to Lee County must submit proof of inoculation and pay the proper registration fees within thirty (30) business days of said residency within Lee County. This section shall not apply to veterinary clinics, state licensed animal shelters, or state licensed boarding facilities.
1. A licensed foster home or a state licensed boarding facility must pay registration if the animal is within the county for more than ninety (90) days. This is not to apply to veterinary clinics, or animals kept on the physical premises of a state licensed animal shelter.
H. Any dog or cat owner within the county must notify Lee County Animal Control within five (5) business days of any transfer of ownership of their dog or cat. The owner must provide the new owner's full name, address, and phone number.
I. Any person in Lee County accepting ownership of any cat or dog over four (4) months of age whether by adoption, person to person transfer, or purchase from a breeder must remit proof of inoculation and pay the required registration fees within ten (10) business days of such transfer.
J. Exhibition of Certificate on Request - At any reasonable time upon request of any law enforcement officer or animal control officer, the owner, caretaker, or keeper of any dog and/or cat shall exhibit any current, valid certificate required under the provisions of this chapter, certifying the inoculation against rabies of any dog owned or kept by him. This includes any animal being held in any foster home, training facility, boarding kennel, or breeding facility. This shall not apply to a state licensed animal shelter.
K. Exemption from Inoculation: Pursuant to 510 ILCS 5/8 (g); (h) a licensed veterinarian may determine a companion animal should not receive a rabies vaccination. The exemption must be reported on a form approved by the Administrator and shall bear the identifying detail of said animal as well as the signature of the owner(s) and the veterinarian exempting the animal. Exemptions must be renewed one year from the date the exemption was issued, or the animal shall be vaccinated if able to receive the vaccine at that time. The owner of an exempted animal shall be required to pay the one year registration fee and a one year tag shall be issued.
L. If an animal is not vaccinated for rabies and/or registered, such dog or cat may be impounded by the Administrator or his or her delegate and may be redeemed or disposed of in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The owner of said animal will be responsible for all costs associated with the impoundment. (Ord. 07-22-001, 7-21-2022)
Notes
| 1 | State Law reference - Rabies Inoculation, 510 ILCS 5/8 |