Any pen, stable or place in which animals are
housed or kept which is unreasonably offensive to persons residing
in the vicinity of the same, due to associated debris or odors, or
to persons passing along any street or alley near the same, or which
constitute a hazard to the health of persons residing nearby are hereby
declared to be unlawful and a nuisance.
It is unlawful for any owner or keeper of an
animal to suffer, permit or fail to prevent an animal from biting
or attacking a person or another animal resulting in injury to the
person or animal attacked, provided that such an attack upon a person
who is or reasonably appears to be in the commission of an act made
punishable under the Criminal Code of the State of Illinois, is not
prohibited if the animal is acting in the defense of the owner or
keeper or his family or premises, and the animal remains on its premises.
For purposes of this section, it is not necessary that the person
bitten or attacked be arrested or convicted of a criminal offense.
No person shall own, keep or harbor within the
Village an animal known to be dangerous or vicious, unless such person
shall keep such animal safely and securely confined so as to protect
from injury any child or other person who may come upon the premises
in the vicinity where such animal may be located; adequate warning
by signs, or otherwise, shall be given to all persons coming upon
the premises in the vicinity of any such vicious or dangerous animal.
It shall be unlawful for any person to kill
or wound or attempt to kill or wound by the use of firearms, sling
shot, bow and arrow, BB gun, air rifle or any other dangerous weapon
any animal within the Village limits, provided that this section shall
not prohibit a person from defending himself or another from attack
by an animal. Police officers may use weapons to destroy animals which
are seriously injured to avoid unnecessary suffering or in self defense
or defense of others.
It shall be unlawful for any person to commit
acts of cruelty to animals. The following acts shall be deemed to
be examples of cruelty to animals and are not intended to be a complete
list of acts which may constitute cruelty. Doctors of veterinary medicine,
in the performance of their profession, are not subject to the provisions
of this section.
A. Overloading, overdriving, overworking, beating, torturing,
tormenting, mutilating or killing any animal or causing or knowingly
allowing the same to be done.
B. Cruelly working any old, maimed, injured, sick or
disabled animal or causing or knowingly allowing the same to be done.
C. Failing to provide any animal in one's charge or custody,
as owner or keeper, with proper food, drink, shelter, air, sanitation
or medical care.
D. Abandoning any animal without making provisions for
its care and feeding.
It shall be unlawful for any person to use or
keep animals or be in any way connected with the management of any
place kept or used for the purpose of fighting or baiting any dogs,
cocks or other animals or permit such place to be kept or used on
premises owned or controlled by such persons.
It shall be unlawful for any person to, in any
way, interfere with any person who is known to such person to be or
who identifies himself or herself to be and is in fact a Village or
county employee or officer enforcing the provisions of this chapter
or engaged in catching or impounding any animal under the authority
of this chapter. Any person convicted of a violation of the provisions
of this section will be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500.