For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall 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. A veterinarian licensed by the state and appointed pursuant to this chapter, or in the event a veterinarian cannot be found and appointed pursuant to this chapter, a non-veterinarian may serve as administrator under this chapter. In the event the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Administrator shall defer to the veterinarian regarding all medical decisions.
(510 ILCS 5/2.01)
ANIMAL. Any animal both domestic and wild, other than man, which may be affected by rabies.
(510 ILCS 5/2.03)
ANIMAL CONTROL WARDEN. Persons appointed by the Administrator in such number as authorized by the County Board to perform duties assigned by the Administrator set forth in this chapter.
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 Care for Animals Act and used as a shelter for seized, stray, homeless, abandoned or unwanted dogs or other animals.
AT LARGE. Any dog or cat shall be deemed to be at large where 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/her agent, to an escape-proof building or other enclosure away from other animals and the public.
(510 ILCS 5/2.05)
DANGEROUS DOG. Any individual dog anywhere other than upon the property of the owner or custodian of the dog and unmuzzled, unleashed or unattended by its owner or custodian that behaves in a manner that a reasonable person would believe poses a serious and unjustified imminent threat of serious physical injury or death to a person or a companion animal or a dog that, without justification, bites a person and does not cause serious physical injury.
DEPARTMENT. The Department of Agriculture of the state.
(510 ILCS 5/2.0).
DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR. A veterinarian licensed by the state, appointed by the Administrator.
DIRECTOR. The Director of the Department of Agriculture or his or her duly appointed representative.
(510 ILCS 5/2.08)
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.
(510 ILCS 5/2.11)
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 conjunction with other measures which may be taken by the owner or keeper, such as tethering of a vicious dog within the enclosure. 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. If the enclosure is a room within a residence, it cannot have direct ingress from or egress to the outdoors unless it leads directly to an enclosed pen and the door must be locked. A vicious dog may be allowed to move about freely within the entire residence if it is muzzled at all times. Such enclosure must be approved by the Administrator.
FERAL CAT. A cat that is born in the wild or is the offspring of an owned or feral cat and is not socialized, or 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.
(510 ILCS 5/2.12)
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 the custody of the public animal control facility in the city, town or county where the animal is found.
INOCULATIONS AGAINST RABIES. The injection of an anti-rabies vaccine approved by the Department.
(510 ILCS 5/2.13)
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.
(510 ILCS 5/2.14)
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 five dogs or cats, or any combination thereof, over four months of age on their property or in their dwelling unit.
(510 ILCS 5/2.15)
OWNER. Any 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.
(510 ILCS 5/2.16)
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.
(510 ILCS 5/2.18)
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 Act.
(510 ILCS 5/2.19)
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) Controlled by a leash of 50 feet or less during training session conducted by a competent person;
(3) When within a vehicle being driven, parked or stopped;
(4) Confined in a cage or other animal carrier; or
(5) While utilized in the sport of hunting.
RURAL. The unincorporated area of the county 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, bedding. The SHELTER shall be of sufficient size to permit such animal to stand up and turn around inside when fully grown and allow retention of body heat. 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 shall be considered a stray according to the ordinances that exist in the county in which the animal is found.
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 as set forth in 8 Ill. Adm. Code 30.140 (b)(1),(2) and (3) in the Animal Control Act.
TAG. A serially numbered medallion approved by the department to be issued, at a fee set by the County Board, as evidence of inoculation against rabies.
VICIOUS DOG. A dog that, without justification, attacks a person and causes serious physical injury or death or any individual dog that has been found to be a “dangerous dog” upon three 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.
(Ord. 0-2007.1, passed 3-13-2007; Ord. 2008.03, passed - -2008; Ord. O-2012.02, passed 3-13-2012; Ord. O-2014.01, passed 2-11-2014)