Bill Text: IL SB0128 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Animal Control Act. In a provision regarding an exemption for rabies inoculation if a licensed veterinarian determines in writing that a rabies inoculation would compromise an animal's health, provides that the determination is valid for one year but may be annually renewed thereafter by a licensed veterinarian.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-28 - Assigned to Agriculture [SB0128 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-SB0128-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB0128 Introduced 1/17/2025, by Sen. Julie A. Morrison SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
510 ILCS 5/8 from Ch. 8, par. 358
Amends the Animal Control Act. In a provision regarding an exemption for rabies inoculation if a licensed veterinarian determines in writing that a rabies inoculation would compromise an animal's health, provides that the determination is valid for one year but may be annually renewed thereafter by a licensed veterinarian.
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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 Animal Control Act is amended by changing
Section 8 as follows:
(510 ILCS 5/8) (from Ch. 8, par. 358)
Sec. 8. Rabies inoculation.
(a) Every owner of a dog 4 months or more of age shall have
each dog inoculated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian.
Every dog 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.
(b) Every owner of a cat that is a companion animal and is
4 months or more of age shall have each cat inoculated against
rabies by a licensed veterinarian. Every cat that is a
companion animal 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 subsection (b) 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

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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.
(c) 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. Only one
dog, cat, or ferret shall be included on each certificate.
(d) Veterinarians who inoculate a dog shall procure from
the County Animal Control in the county where their office is
located serially numbered tags, one to be issued with each
inoculation certificate. The Board shall cause a rabies
inoculation tag to be issued, at a fee established by the Board
for each dog inoculated against rabies.
(e) A veterinarian who inoculates a cat that is a
companion animal shall issue an inoculation certificate to the
owner which shall comply with any registration requirements
adopted by the county under Section 3 of this Act. The owner
shall pay any fee imposed by the county under Section 3 of this
Act. A veterinarian who inoculates a feral cat shall issue an

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