§ 8.04.840 PERMITS, FEES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS.
   A.   County Dog or cat Registration:
      1.   Every owner (except for Animal Control Facilities licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture) of a dog or cat four months or more of age shall register such dog or cat and shall pay an annual registration fee for said dog or cat to the McHenry County Department of Health. Upon payment of the required fee, as set forth in the Public Health Fee Ordinance, and compliance with § 8.04.890 of this Ordinance, a registration tag shall be issued. All registration tag sales are final and no refunds will be issued.
      2.   When an owner fails to register his or her dog or cat, McHenry County Animal Control shall cause the registration fee and late fee to be collected from the owner.
      3.   Whenever a dog or cat owner has a Veterinarian's Certificate indicating that a three (3) year rabies vaccine recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture has been administered, that dog or cat owner may elect to purchase a one-year or three-year registration tag at a fee designated in the Public Health Fee Ordinance.
      4.   If a licensed veterinarian determines in writing that a rabies vaccination would compromise an animal's health, then the animal shall be exempt from the rabies vaccination requirement, but the owner is still responsible for obtaining a registration tag and paying the registration fee. That dog or cat owner may only purchase a one-year registration tag.
   B.   Registration Tags - Unlawful Possession: Registration tags shall not be transferred from one dog or cat to another, nor shall a person affix a registration tag to a dog other than the animal for which the tag was issued. A person shall not counterfeit, alter, obliterate or attempt to counterfeit, alter or obliterate any rabies registration tag or vaccination certificate.
   C.   Late Registration: Failure of an owner to register his or her dog or cat within 30 days of rabies vaccination will result in an additional late fee as specified in the Public Health Fee Ordinance.
   D.   Medical exemption: If a licensed veterinarian establishes in writing that a rabies inoculation would compromise a dog or cat's health, and it is determined that the dog or cat is exempt from the rabies inoculation requirement, then the owner must register the dog or cat as medically exempt within 30 days after the determination. The McHenry County Animal Control will furnish the owner with a medically exempt registration tag, which shall be valid for a period of one year.
   E.   New County Resident: When a person moves into McHenry County and has a current vaccination and registration tag from the County from which they moved, that person shall register his or her dog or cat with McHenry County within 60 days of the date he or she moved to McHenry County. Such registration may be obtained at the cost of a replacement tag as designated in the Public Health Fee Ordinance. Registration tags issued are based on the vaccination date, but in no case shall tags issued at the replacement tag cost be valid for more than 12 months.
   F.   Former County Resident: When a person moves from McHenry County, that person shall notify Animal Control in order to remove his or her dog registration information from the database.
   G.   Change of Ownership: When the ownership of a dog or cat changes, the new owner shall register the dog or cat within thirty (30) days of the change of ownership. Change of ownership may be proven by a bill of sale, evidence of the previous registration or letter from the previous owner transferring the ownership of the dog or cat.
   H.   Registration Tags: Rabies vaccination tags approved by the Illinois Department of Agriculture shall bear the following inscription: Rabies Vaccination; tag number _________; Illinois Department of Agriculture; name of County and year. This tag shall also serve as the registration tag and no dog or cat shall be deemed officially rabies vaccinated unless the owner has obtained this tag along with the official vaccination certificate signed by a veterinarian. Such tags shall be worn on the collar or harness of the dog for which the tag and certificate was issued except when confined. Each year will be distinguished by a tag of a color prescribed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
   I.   Breeder Registration: An individual breeder's registration and each individual breeding dog may be registered annually with the Department on the forms provided and fee paid per the schedule detailed in the Public Health Fee Ordinance. The exception to this requirement would be if the owner of multiple intact animals elects to purchase registration tags under § 8.04.840 of this Ordinance.
   J.   Schedule of Fees: The Animal Control Administrator of McHenry County may waive or reduce any fee detailed in the McHenry County Department of Health Public Health Fee Ordinance for any of the following:
      1.   Inability to pay (financial hardship)
      2.   Community-wide promotion
      3.   Public health emergency or community disaster
      4.   Animal census exceeds shelter capacity
(Ord. O-201711-51-031, passed 11-14-2017; Ord. —, passed 3-16-2020)