Bill Text: IL HB1533 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill. Deletes that these provisions do not apply to a person who performs a procedure solely for a therapeutic purpose. Provides that surgical claw removal, declawing, or a tendonectomy on any cat or otherwise altering a cat's toes, claws, or paws to prevent or impair the normal function of the cat's toes, claws, or paws may only be performed by a veterinarian licensed under the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004 for therapeutic purposes for the cat. Effective 90 days after becoming law.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-03-12 - Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Adriane Johnson [HB1533 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB1533-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB1533 Introduced , by Rep. Barbara Hernandez SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
510 ILCS 5/3.10 new
Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides that a person shall not perform surgical claw removal, declawing, or a tendonectomy on any cat or otherwise alter a cat's toes, claws, or paws to prevent or impair the normal function of the cat's toes, claws, or paws, except for a therapeutic purpose. Provides that the Department of Agriculture shall subject person who violates the provisions to a civil penalty of $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second violation, and $2,500 for a third or subsequent violation.
LRB103 06016 RJT 51042 b
A BILL FOR
HB1533 LRB103 06016 RJT 51042 b
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
adding Section 3.10 as follows:
(510 ILCS 5/3.10 new)
Sec. 3.10. Cat declawing.
(a) As used in this Section:
"Declawing" means an onychectomy or any other surgical
procedure to amputate or modify a portion of a cat's paw in
order to remove the cat's claws. This term does not include the
trimming of nonviable claw husk or placing nonpermanent nail
caps.
"Tendonectomy" means a procedure in which the tendons to a
cat's limbs, paws, or toes are cut or modified so that the
normal functioning of the claws is impaired.
"Therapeutic purpose" means a medically necessary
procedure to address an existing or recurring infection,
disease, injury, or abnormal condition in the claws, nail bed,
or toe bone, which jeopardizes the cat's health. "Therapeutic
purpose" does not include a procedure performed for a cosmetic
or aesthetic purpose or to make the cat more convenient to keep
or handle.

HB1533 - 2 - LRB103 06016 RJT 51042 b
(b) A person shall not perform surgical claw removal,
declawing, or a tendonectomy on any cat or otherwise alter a
cat's toes, claws, or paws to prevent or impair the normal
function of the cat's toes, claws, or paws.
(c) This Section does not apply to a person who performs a
procedure solely for a therapeutic purpose.
(d) The Department of Agriculture shall impose upon a
person who violates this Section a civil penalty of $500 for a
first violation, $1,000 for a second violation, and $2,500 for
a third or subsequent violation.