Boone County Animal Control Department

Boone County Animal Control Ordinances

Boone County Government enforces the Illinois State Statute regarding Vicious and Dangerous Dogs.
To view Statute please click here.

The following are the actual ordinances currently in effect for Boone County Animal Control. If you have any questions regarding these ordinances, contact Animal Control at 815-547-7774 or the Boone County State's Attorneys Office at (815) 544-0868.

ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCE

Section 14-26. Definitions
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings asribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Administrator means a veterinarian licensed by the State of Illinois and appointed pursuant to this Act, or in the event a veterinarian cannot be found and appointed pursuant to this Act, a non-veterinarian may serve as Administrator under this Act. In the event the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Administrator shall defer to the veterinarian regarding all medical decisions.

Animal Control Warden means any person appointed by the Administrator to perform the duties set forth in this Ordinance.

Confined means restriction of an animal at all times by the owner or his agent, to an escape-proof building, house, or other enclosure away from other animals and the public.

Dangerous dogmeans any individual dog anywhere other than upon the property of the owner or custodian of the dog and unmuzzled, unleashed, or unattended by its owner or custodian that behaves in a manner that a reasonable person would believe poses a serious and unjustified imminent threat of serious physical injury or death to a person or a companion animal, or a dog that without justification bites a person and does not cause serious physical injury.

Dog shall include all animals, regardless of sex, of the canine species.

Has been bitten means has been seized with the teeth or jaws so that the person or animal seized has been nipped, gripped, wounded, or pierced and further includes contact of saliva with any break or abrasion of the skin.

Impounded means taken into the custody of the public animal control facility in the city, town, or county where the animal is found.

Owner means any person having a right of property in an animal or who keeps or harbors an animal, or who has it in his care, or acts as its custodian.

Vicious, fierce or dangerous dog means a dog that, without justification, attacks a person and causes serious physical injury or death or any individual dog that has been found to be a "dangerous dog" on 3 separate occations.
(Code 1981, Sec. 5-16; Ord. No 89-10,4-12-1989)

Sec. 14-27. Public Pound; establishment and maintenance.
The county shall establish and maintain a public dog pound or shall contract for the use of a duly licensed facility as a place to securely impound dogs taken up or captured by persons charged with the duty of enforcing provisions of this article. Such dog pounds shall comply, in all respects, with the rules and regulations promulgated by the Department of Public Health of the State and shall, at all times, provide humane treatment for animals confined therein.
(Code 1981, Sec. 5-17; Ord. No. 89-10, 4-12-89)

Sec. 14-28. Dogs running at large prohibited; confinement.
No person who owns, keeps or harbors a dog shall cause or permit such dog to run at large at any time during the year or on any public way or public place or upon the private premises of any person other than that of the owner or keeper of such dog. All dogs shall be confined by means of a secure leash or chain, or confined within a fenced area in such a manner as to prevent the dog from running at large. Any dog found running at large in violation hereof shall be taken up and impounded in the manner provided in this article.
(Code 1981, Sec. 5-18; Ord. No. 89-10, 4-12-89)

Sec. 14-29. Barking dogs declared nuisance; exceptions.
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep, have in his possession or harbor any dog which by frequent or habitual barking, howling, yelping or by other loud noise shall cause annoyance of any family or person, or shall disturb the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or place within the county. Such annoyance of any family or person or the disturbance of the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or place within the county by any dog, is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, and it shall be unlawful for any person to suffer or permit such nuisance to exist.
(Code 1981, Sec. 5-19; Ord. No. 89-10, 4-12-89, Ord. No. 93-40, 11-10-93))

Section 14-30. Inoculation against rabies required; registration and inoculation of dogs; fees; tags
(a) Every owner of a dog four 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. Evidence of such rabies inoculation shall be entered on a certificate the form of which shall be approved by the Board and which shall be signed by the licensed veterinarian administering the vaccine. Veterinarians who inoculate a dog shall procure from the County Animal Control serially numbered tags, one to be issued with each inoculation certificate. Only one dog shall be included on each certificate. The veterinarian immunizing or microchipping an animal shall provide the Administrator with a certificate of immunization and microchip number. The County Board shall cause a rabies inoculation tag to be issued at a fee established by the County Board for each dog inoculated against rabies. Rabies vaccine for use on animals shall be sold or distributed only to licensed veterinarians. Such rabies vaccine shall be licensed by the United States Department of Agricultural.

(b) Within thirty (30) days from the date of inoculation for rabies, the owner shall register such dog by presenting to the administrator or his authorized agents, the certificate of inoculation, together with the appropriate registration fee. The registration fee for dogs spayed or neutered shall be $20.00 for one year and $60.00 for three years. The registration fee for dogs not spayed or neutered shall be $50.00 for one year and $150.00 for a three-year registration. The registration shall correspond to the duration of the rabies vaccination. The owner shall be supplied with a rabies inoculation tag for each dog registered, and such tag shall be worn by each dog that is required to be registered whenever said dog is off the property of its owners and not within a motor vehicle. The tag shall be in a form and color approved by the state department of agriculture. The method of distributing said tag and collecting registration fees shall be determined by the county board.

(c) Failure to register a dog within thirty (30) days of inoculation shall result in the registration fee being doubled.

(d) Any licensed veterinarian collecting the registration fee as described in this section may retain $1.00 from each individual fee charged for costs incurred to charge and collect fees.
(Code 1981, Sec. 5-20; Ord. No 89-10, 4-12-89; Ord. No. 904, 2-16-1991; Ord. No. 11-12, 7-1-2000; Ird, Bi, 02-37, 9-11-2002;, Ord. No. 03-01-1-8-2003:, Ord. No. 07-35-8-8-2007, Ord. No. 07-40-10-10-07)

Sec. 14-31. Penalties and court appearances.
(a)  Unless otherwise provided herein, any person violating or aiding or abetting the violation of any provision of this article shall be fined not less than seventy-five dollars ($75.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) for any one (1) offense.

(b)  Each day a violation is committed, continued or permitted to occur shall constitute a separate offense. (c)  (c.) As an alternative to any other manner of charging a violation of this article, the animal control department or any law enforcement officer may issue a citation in those instances where an owner violates this article by permitting his animal to run at large; by failing to have his animal inoculated against rabies, by failing to register his animal, or by failing to have his animal wear evidence of current rabies inoculation. The citation would allow the owner to satisfy the violation without a court appearance by submitting in person to the Animal Control Office of Boone County the payment of the minimum fine of seventy-five dollars ($75.00) in cash, verified by written receipt, for each separate violation if said fine is paid within fourteen (14) days of the issuance of said citation. If a person chooses to pay for each citation at the Animal Control Office after fourteen (14) days have elapsed, but before twenty-nine (29) days have elapsed since the issuance of the citation, the fine would be one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each separate violation. Where the offense charged is for an animal not wearing evidence of current rabies inoculation, the owner of the animal must, in addition to payment of the fine, present evidence that the animal has been inoculated against rabies.
(Code 1981, Sec. 5-21; Ord. No 89-10, 4-12-89; Ord. No. 00-22, 11-8-2000)

Sec. 14-32. Additional Fees.
(a) Owners shall pay county room and board fees when retrieving their dog from the County Animal Services Facility. Such fee shall be $40.00 for the first day and twenty dollars ($20.00) for each day thereafter. Such fee shall be assessed at the beginning of each day (12.01 a.m.)

(b) Prior to the return to its owner of an impounded dog, the owner will have the option of having a microchip implanted in the dog. The fee for such service shall be $15.00. Any pet owner may come into animal control and purchase a microchip for the same fee.

(c) If a dog receives a rabies vaccination from Boone County Animal Control, the owner of the dog shall pay a $50.00 fee for this service. The Boone County Animal Control Veterinarian shall be paid $35.00 and the remaining $15.00 shall be deposited into the Animal Control Fund. (Ord. No. 08-23, 6-11-2008)

Section 14-33. Jurisdiction
The provisions of this article shall apply within all areas of the county except in cities, villages, and incorporated towns that provide and enforce rules and regulations which are at least as stringent as this article.
(Ord. No. 81-18; Sec. 1A, 8/12/1981; Ord. No. 95-35, Sec. 1, 11/8/1995; Ord. No 99-38, 10-13-1999)

Section 14-34. Report of bite by dog
(a) When the Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator, receives information that any person has been bitten by a dog or other animal, the Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator, or his or her authorized representative, shall have such dog or other animal confined under the observation of a licensed veterinarian for a period of 10 days. The Department may permit such confinement to be reduced to a period of less than 10 days. A veterinarian shall report the clinical condition of the animal immediately, with confirmation in writing to the Administrator within 24 hours after the animal is presented for examination, giving the owner's name, address, the date of confinement, the breed, description, age, and sex of the animal, and whether the animal has been spayed or neutered, on appropriate forms approved by the department. The Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator shall notify the attending physician or responsible health agency. At the end of the confinement period, the veterinarian shall submit a written report to the Administrator advising him or her on the final disposition of the animal on appropriate forms approved by the Department. When evidence is presented that the animal was inoculated against rabies within the time prescribed by law, it shall be confined in a house, or in a manner, which will prohibit it from biting any person for a period of 10 days, if a licensed veterinarian adjudges such confinement satisfactory. The Department may permit such confinement to be reduced to a period of less than 10 days. At the end of the confinement period, the animal shall be examined by a licensed veterinarian.

(b) Any person having knowledge that any person has been bitten by an animal shall notify the Administrator, or if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator promptly. It is unlawful for the owner of the animal to euthanize, sell, give away, or otherwise dispose of any animal known to have bitten a person, until it is released by the Administrator or, if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator or his or her authorized representative. It is unlawful for the owner of the animal to refuse or fail to comply with the reasonable written or printed instructions made by the administrator, or if the Administrator is not a veterinarian, the Deputy Administrator or his authorized representative. If such instructions cannot be delivered to the person, they shall be mailed to the owner of the animal by regular mail. Any expense incurred in the handling of an animal under this section shall be born by the owner.

(c) Any owner whose dog has bitten someone will receive a minimum $75.00 citation if the dog was running at large when the incident occurred, or if the dog has not been immunized and/or registered as required by County Ordinance.

(d) When a person has been bitten by a police dog, the police dog may continue to perform its duties for the peace officer or law enforcement agency and any period of observation of the police dog may be under the supervision of a peace officer. The supervision shall consist of the dog being locked in a kennel, performing its official duties in a police vehicle, or remaining under the constant supervision of its police handler.

Sec. 14-35. Number of dogs restricted.
(a) It shall be unlawful to own, keep or harbor at any time more than ten (10) dogs over the age of four (4) months per residential or dwelling unit in unincorporated Boone County. No more than ten (10) dogs may be licensed to any single property, owner, location, or family residing at a single address unless a Special Use Permit has been issued by Boone County for the operation of breeding and/or boarding kennel.

(b) Grandfather Clause: Dogs owned or harbored and exceeding the ownership limits of this section at the time of passage of this law must be registered with Boone County Animal Control within 60 days of passage to be exempted from ownership limits. This exemption expires once the existing dog(s) parishes or has been relinquished to a new owner.

(c) Any person violating or aiding or abetting the violation of this article shall be fined no less than $75.00 for each dog over the limited number of dogs. (Ord. No. 08-22, 6-11-2008)

Disclaimer   The information on this site is meant to provide an additional source of news about the Boone County Board and its activities. It is subject to change and is not a substitute for any official agenda, statement or official meeting. All notice requirements must still be done in accordance with the existing law and those citizens who discuss issues before the Boone County Board should follow the established procedure. For any further questions, please call the County Administration Office at (815) 547-4770.