§ 90.07 LIABILITY OF OWNER OF DOG, CAT OR OTHER ANIMAL ATTACKING OR INJURING PERSON OR ANIMAL.

   If a dog or other animal, without provocation, attacks, attempts to attack, or injures any person or animal who is peaceably conducting himself or herself in any place where he or she may lawfully be, the owner of a dog or other animal is liable for damages, to the person, for the full amount of the injury sustained.

(1980 Code, § 90.07) (Res. 99-61, adopted 2-18-1999; Res. 06-122, adopted 3-16-2006; Ord. 24-19, passed 1-18-2024) Penalty, see § 90.99

Statutory reference:

   Animal attacks or injuries, see 510 ILCS 5/16

§ 90.08 INOCULATION AGAINST RABIES.

   (A)   Every owner of a dog, cat or ferret four months of age or older, shall each year cause the dog, cat or ferret to be inoculated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian. Every dog, cat, or ferret shall have a second rabies vaccination within one year of the first. Terms of subsequent vaccine administration and duration of immunity must be in compliance with USDA licenses of vaccines used. This division does not apply to feral cats; however, if a feral cat is presented to a licensed veterinarian for sterilization, the feral cat shall be inoculated against rabies, unless the person presenting the feral cat for care provides an inoculation certificate showing that the feral cat has been inoculated against rabies, and the cost of the inoculation shall be paid by the person presenting the feral cat to a licensed veterinarian for care.

   (B)   If a licensed veterinarian determines in writing that a rabies inoculation would compromise an animal's health, then the animal shall be exempt from the rabies inoculation requirement, however, the owner is still responsible for the tag fees.

   (C)   If a bite occurs from an exempt animal, the exempt animal shall be treated as an unvaccinated animal. If the animal is exempt, the animal shall be re-examined by a licensed veterinarian on no less than an annual basis and be vaccinated against rabies as soon as the animal's health permits.

(1980 Code, § 90.08)

   (D)   A veterinarian immunizing a dog, cat, or ferret against rabies shall provide the Administrator of the county in which the dog, cat, or ferret resides with a certificate of immunization. Evidence of such rabies inoculation shall be entered on a certificate the form of which shall be approved by the Board and which shall contain the microchip number of the dog, cat, or ferret if it has one and which shall be signed by the licensed veterinarian administering the vaccine. Veterinarians who inoculate a dog, cat or ferret for rabies shall procure from the County Animal Protection Services numbered tags, one to be issued with each inoculation certificate. A veterinarian who inoculates a feral cat shall issue an inoculation certificate to the person who presented the feral cat for veterinary care. Feral cats are not required to have a rabies tag. Only one dog, cat or ferret shall be included on each certificate.

(1980 Code, § 90.09)

   (E)   Every owner of a dog, cat or ferret four months of age or older shall provide the dog, cat or ferret with a collar or harness and attach thereto the official county rabies tag which shall be worn by the dog, cat or ferret at all times. Feral cats are exempt.

(1980 Code, § 90.11) (Res. 99-61, adopted 2-18-1999; Res. 06-122, adopted 3-16-2006)

   (F)   New residents from outside the county owning or keeping a dog, cat or ferret four months of age or older, shall register the dog, cat or ferret at the county animal control facility, within 30 days after establishing residence in the county. If not done, the pet owner may be issued citations for failure to comply.

      (1)   The fee for such tag set out in § 90.29.

(Ord. 24-19, passed 1-18-2024) Penalty, see § 90.99

Statutory reference:

   Rabies inoculation, see 510 ILCS 5/8

§ 90.09 OWNER DUTIES.

   (A)   Each owner shall provide for each of his or her animals:

      (1)   Sufficient quantity of good quality, wholesome food and water;

      (2)   Adequate shelter and protection from the weather;

         (a)   No person shall allow an animal to remain outside continuously for more than 30 minutes without access to adequate shelter and potable water. At the discretion of the Director, an exception may be granted when an adult is present on the premises.

         (b)   Companion animals must be brought into a temperature controlled structure when the temperature is at or below 10° Fahrenheit or at or above 85° Fahrenheit, or when a heat advisory, wind chill warning, or tornado warning has been issued by local, state, or national authority, except when the animal is in visual range of a competent adult who is outside with the animal;

      (3)   Veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering; and

      (4)   Humane care and treatment.

   (B)   To lawfully tether a dog outdoors, an owner must ensure that the dog:

      (1)   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:

         (a)   Exceeds one-eighth of the dog’s body weight; or

         (b)   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 ten feet in length;

      (5)   Is tethered with a properly fitted harness or collar other than the lead or a pinch prong, or choke-type collar; and

      (6)   Is not tethered in a manner that will allow it to reach within the property of another person, a public walkway, or a road.

   (C)   Prohibited tethering. 

      (1)   No person shall: Tether an animal to a motorized vehicle such as an automobile, truck, or motorcycle;

      (2)   Tether an intact animal for any period of time;

      (3)   Tether an animal between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.;

      (4)   Tether or confine an animal in or about an unoccupied structure or property for any purpose unless the animal is continuously monitored by an adult who is physically on site throughout the period of tethering or confinement;

      (5)   Tether an animal under six months of age;

      (6)   Tether more than three animals simultaneously at the same location.

   (D)   Division (B) and (C) of this section shall not be construed to prohibit:

      (1)   A person from walking a dog with a handheld leash;

      (2)   Conduct that is directly related to the cultivation of agricultural products, including shepherding or herding cattle or livestock, if the restraint is reasonably necessary for the safety of the dog;

      (3)   The tethering of a dog while at an organized and lawful animal function, such as hunting, obedience training, performance and conformance events, or law enforcement training, or while in the pursuit of working or competing in those endeavors; or

      (4)   A dog restrained in compliance with the requirements of a camping or recreational area as defined by a federal, state, or local authority or jurisdiction.

(Ord. 24-19, passed 1-18-2024) Penalty, see § 90.99

§ 90.10 DANGEROUS ANIMALS.

   (A)   No person shall own, keep or harbor within the county a dangerous animal.

   (B)   Any animal, snake, reptile, lizard, rodent or other creature defined as a dangerous animal is declared a public nuisance, and such animal may be impounded by the Administrator, his or her designee, or an animal control officer. If such animal cannot be relocated safely to an entity licensed to handle the dangerous animal in the sole discretion of the Administrator, the Administrator may order the humane euthanasia of such animal.

   (C)   This section shall not apply to properly zoned, licensed and constructed zoos, animal shelters, veterinary hospitals, federally licensed exhibits, circuses, animal refuges, scientific or research laboratories of educational or other licensed institutions, or other enterprise.

(Ord. 24-19, passed 1-18-2024) Penalty, see § 90.99

§ 90.11 REMOVAL OF DEAD ANIMALS.

   Every property owner must remove, or cause the removal of, any animal which has died on their property no later than 48 hours after the animal has died.

(Ord. 24-19, passed 1-18-2024) Penalty, see § 90.99

§ 90.12 AUTHORITY TO ASCERTAIN INOCULATION AGAINST RABIES AND REGISTRATION.

   The county Animal Protection Services is hereby authorized to ascertain by observation and by inquiry of the animal owner if the dog, cat or ferret is inoculated against rabies and has a rabies tag for the county in which they reside.

(1980 Code, § 90.12) (Res. 99-61, adopted 2-18-1999; Res. 06-122, adopted 3-16-2006; Ord. 24-19, passed 1-18-2024)

Statutory reference:

   Duties and powers of Administrator or Deputy Administrator, see 510 ILCS 5/5

§ 90.13 TRAPPING WILDLIFE.

   Trapping wildlife without an active license from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is prohibited. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the use of traps designed to kill rodents such as mice and rats when used for their intended purposes.

(Ord. 24-19, passed 1-18-2024) Penalty, see § 90.99