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The intent of Anna's Law is to protect the public by decreasing the number of dangerous dogs, stray dogs, and cats. The official name of the legislation is the Illinois Public Safety and Animal Population Control Act.
Who Are Its Sponsors?
The Illinois General Assembly enacted this legislation to honor Anna Cieslewicz. Anna was a pediatric nurse, mother, and wife who was killed by two intact dogs while she was jogging in a public park in 2003. Anna was an avid dog-lover and the guardian of two adopted dogs. In lieu of flowers at her funeral, her family asked that her memorials be sent to the Anti-Cruelty Society.
What Does This Legislation Do?
Anna's Law is broad public-safety legislation that principally encompasses:
- New and increased sources of funding for the state's Pet Population Control Fund
- New regulations and fines for owners of at-large, dangerous, and vicious dogs, or biting animals
- Reimbursements to private veterinarians for sterilization/vaccination of dogs and cats of disadvantaged owners and feral cat caretakers
- Requirement for shelters to report intake and euthanasia statistics annually to the Illinois Department of Agriculture
See "How Does It Work?" below for the full scope of the legislation.
When Does It Go into Effect?
Anna's Law went into effect after it was signed by the governor of Illinois in 2005. Fund collection began January 1, 2006, with distribution in 2007 for funding spay/neuter surgeries.
Where Does the Law Apply?
Anna's Law affects all of Illinois.
How Does It Work?
Anna's Law has the following provisions:
- Increases the funding sources of money coming into the Pet Population Control Fund through a voluntary tax check-off, voluntary donations, public-safety fines, forfeited spay/neuter deposits, and a minimum $10 licensing differential for intact animals that is deposited either into a county or a state pet population control fund.
- Fund reimburses private veterinarians for the sterilization/ vaccinations of dogs and cats of disadvantaged owners & feral cat caretakers. Director of Public Health sets reimbursement fees.
- Fund collection begins January 1, 2006; distribution in 2007. Expected to generate $2 million a year.
- Owner pays co pay of $15 for sterilization and vaccinations.
- Veterinarian participation in vaccination/sterilization program is voluntary.
- Allows licensed veterinarians to determine if individual animal should be exempt from rabies shot requirement if it would compromise the animal's health.
- Requires rabies vaccine to be used only by a licensed veterinarian.
- Defines "intact" animal, "feral" cat, and "owner."
- Protects the Pet Population Control Fund from being raided.
- Requires any owner of a dog running at large to pay, in addition to any other fines, a $25 public-safety fine. Counties or municipalities keep $5 of the fine.
- Requires owners of reclaimed animals to pay a $25 public safety fee but this is waived if the animal is spayed or neutered within 14 days.
- Requires owners of dogs deemed "dangerous" to pay a $50 public-safety fine.
- Requires owners of dogs deemed to be "vicious" to pay a $100 public-safety fine.
- Requires owners of biting animals to pay a $25 public-safety fine.
- Requires shelters to offer animals they deem "adoptable" for placement prior to euthanasia.
- Does not require out of state nonprofit rescue groups to be licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture to rescue animals in Illinois shelters.
- Expands the definition of dangerous dog.
- Further restricts the enclosure in which a vicious dog can be maintained and does allow a court to order the euthanization of a dog found to be vicious.
- Requires owners of dogs found at large a second or subsequent time to be spayed or neutered.
- Requires shelters to report intake and euthanasia statistics to the Illinois Department of Agriculture each year.
- Gives animal control the right to impound a dangerous dog if the owner fails to comply with the microchipping, sterilization, or public-safety fine requirements.
- Does not allow a person to remove a microchip from a dog for the purposes of destroying or concealing its identity.
- Limits liability of municipalities or political subdivisions that allow feral cat colonies or dog parks, veterinarians or animal shelters who contact registered owners of microchipped animals, veterinarians who sterilize feral cats, animal shelter workers who microchip animals for identification.
- Requires rabies inoculation forms to include the animal's microchip number if the animal has one.
How Can I Learn More?
The complete text of Anna's Law is available at the website of the Illinois General Assembly (.pdf) (state legislature).
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