Bill Text: IL HB1247 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides that certain requirements must be met in order for an owner to lawfully tether a dog outdoors. Creates certain exemptions from that requirement. Provides penalties for violations. Defines "tether".

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2013-01-08 - Session Sine Die [HB1247 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-HB1247-Introduced.html

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97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2011 and 2012 HB1247 Introduced 2/8/2011, by Rep. Michael J. Zalewski SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
510 ILCS 70/3 from Ch. 8, par. 703
Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides that certain requirements must be met in order for an owner to lawfully tether a dog outdoors. Creates certain exemptions from that requirement. Provides penalties for violations. Defines "tether".
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CORRECTIONAL BUDGET AND IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning animals.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Humane Care for Animals Act is amended by
changing Section 3 as follows:
(510 ILCS 70/3) (from Ch. 8, par. 703)
Sec. 3. Owner's duties.
(a) Each owner shall provide for each of his or her
animals:
(1) a (a) sufficient quantity of good quality,
wholesome food and water;
(2) (b) adequate shelter and protection from the
weather;
(3) (c) veterinary care when needed to prevent
suffering; and
(4) (d) 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 (i) exceeds

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one-eighth of the dog's body weight or (ii) is a tow chain
or a log chain, either of which is any chain that is more
than one-fourth of an inch in width;
(4) is tethered with a lead that measures, when rounded
to the nearest whole foot, at least 10 feet in length;
(5) is tethered with a properly fitting harness or
collar other than the lead or a pinch, prong, or choke-type
collar;
(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; and
(7) when tethered between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., is
tethered for no more than 15 minutes or has access to
adequate shelter and protection from the weather as
required under subsection (a) of this Section.
(c) Subsection (b) of this Section shall not be construed
to prohibit:
(1) a person from walking a dog with a hand-held leash;
(2) conduct that is directly related to the cultivating
of agricultural products, including shepherding or herding
cattle or livestock, if the restraint is reasonably
necessary for the safety of the dog; or
(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

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competing in those endeavors.
(d) A person convicted of violating subsection (a) of this
Section is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. A second or
subsequent violation of subsection (a) of this Section is a
Class 4 felony with every day that a violation continues
constituting a separate offense. In addition to any other
penalty provided by law, upon conviction for violating
subsection (a) of this Section, the court may order the
convicted person to undergo a psychological or psychiatric
evaluation and to undergo any treatment at the convicted
person's expense that the court determines to be appropriate
after due consideration of the evaluation. If the convicted
person is a juvenile or a companion animal hoarder, the court
must order the convicted person to undergo a psychological or
psychiatric evaluation and to undergo treatment that the court
determines to be appropriate after due consideration of the
evaluation.
(e) A person convicted of violating subsection (b) of this
Section is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
(f) As used in this Section, "tether" means to restrain by
tying to an object or structure, including, without limitation,
a house, tree, fence, post, garage, shed, or clothes line at a
person's residence or business, by any means, including,
without limitation, a chain, rope, cord, leash, or running
line.
(Source: P.A. 92-650, eff. 7-11-02.)