Village of Thornton, IL Chapter 10-3 Animal Regulations

Article A General Provisions

§ 10-3A-1 Definition.

[1983 Code]

For the purpose of this chapter, "animal or animals," shall mean and include: dogs, cats, cattle, horses, hogs, ducks, bees, poultry, pigeons, reptiles or other livestock, including household and domestic pets.

§ 10-3A-2 Prohibited behavior, condition.

[1983 Code; amended 1-21-2002]

A. Animals at Large. It shall be unlawful for any person to permit or allow any animal or animals to run at large within the corporate limits of the Village.

B. Dangerous Animals at Large. It shall be unlawful to permit any dangerous or vicious animal of any kind to run at large within the Village. Exhibitions or parades of animals which are ferae naturae in the eyes of the law may be conducted only upon securing a permit from the Chief of Police.

C. Disturbing the Peace. It shall be unlawful to harbor or keep any animal or animals which disturb the peace by loud noises at any time of the day or night.

D. It shall be unlawful to keep any farm, wild, untamed or exotic animal within the Village. Such animals include, but are not limited to, horses, swine, chickens, tigers, bears or any other animal not generally considered a domestic pet.

E. It shall be unlawful to keep more than three dogs, cats, other domesticated animals or any combination thereof per address within the Village. For purposes of this chapter, dogs, cats or other domesticated animals do not include animals under four months of age.

§ 10-3A-3 Treatment or mistreatment.

[1983 Code]

A. Cruelty to Animals. No person shall cruelly treat any animal in the Village in any way. Any person who inhumanly beats, underfeeds, overloads, leaves tied unattended or abandons any animal shall be deemed guilty of a violation of this section.

B. Killing Animals. The members of the Police Department of the Village are authorized to kill any dangerous animal or animals when necessary for the protection of any person or property.

C. No person shall use or permit the use of any leghold animal trap or similar device with spring activated jaws of the type used for the trapping of fur-bearing animals which is capable of inflicting cruelty upon dogs, cats or other animals, or which constitutes a hazard to small children.

D. Every person found guilty of violating any of the provisions of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $500. Each day any violation of any provision of this section shall continue, shall constitute a separate offense.

§ 10-3A-4 Rabies or disease provisions.

[1983 Code]

A. Nuisance Animals. Any animal suffering from rabies or any other contagious or infectious disease, or any animal bitten by another animal suffering from rabies or any other contagious or infectious disease is hereby declared to be a nuisance, and such animal may be slain by any policeman or impounded by such officer for observation. It shall be the duty of any person owning or exercising ownership or agency over any such animal to surrender the same to any policeman upon demand.

B. Report, Impoundment. It shall be the duty of every veterinarian or other person who discovers any animal suffering with rabies or any other contagious or infectious disease to report such fact immediately to the Chief of Police. Such report shall give the name, if known, and the place of residence of the person owning or harboring such animal, the place where the animal can be found, and the license number of the animal if a dog, if known. Such animal shall be taken immediately up and impounded and securely kept until the Chief of Police can make or cause to be made an examination of said dog or other animal. If upon such examination, it shall be determined that said animal is suffering with rabies or any other contagious or infectious disease, said animal shall be immediately killed.

C. Owner Duty. It shall be unlawful for the owner or keeper of any animal, when notified that such animal has bitten or so injured so as to break the skin of any person or other animal, to sell or give away such animal or to permit or allow such animal to be taken beyond the Village limits. It shall be the duty of such owner or keeper, upon receiving such notice, to immediately place such animal in a duly licensed veterinary hospital in the county where such animal shall be confined for a period of at least 10 days, or to deliver such animal to any member of the Police Department for such placement.

D. Release From Quarantine. If at the end of at least 10 days, a veterinarian is convinced that the animal is then free from rabies or any other contagious or infectious disease, the animal shall be released from quarantine or from the pound as the case may be. If the animal dies in the meantime, its head shall be sent to the State Department of Health for examination.

Article B Dog Regulations

§ 10-3B-1 Definition.

[1983 Code]

For the purpose of this chapter, the word "dog" shall be construed to mean all animals of the canine species, both male and female.

§ 10-3B-2 Licensing provisions.

[1983 Code; amended 5-18-1998; 12-17-2001]

A. Required, Application. It shall be unlawful for any person to own or keep a dog within the corporate limits of the Village unless he shall procure a license therefor. Said owner or keeper shall make a statement to the Village Clerk giving his name and address, and the name, breed, color and sex of the dog owned or kept by such person.

B. Expiration. The license shall expire on December 31 next following the issuance of said license.

C. License Registry. The Village Clerk shall keep a complete registry of all licensed dogs, describing the same by name, breed, color and sex, and shall also enter the name and address of the owner or keeper as given, and the number of the Village license tag.

D. Collar and Tags.

1. Upon presentation of a certificate signed by a veterinarian that the dog has been vaccinated against rabies during the preceding twelve-month period, the Village Clerk shall furnish to the person paying the same a license certificate and tag for the dog for which such a fee has been paid. The shape of such tag shall be changed each year, and it shall have stamped thereon the year for which the license is issued, the word "Thornton," the identifying description, and the number of the tag to correspond with the number on the license certificate.

2. Every dog legally kept within the Village shall be provided by its owner or keeper with a collar or harness made of leather, metal or other substantial material to which a license tag shall be securely fastened.

3. It shall be unlawful for any person, other than the owner, to remove a license tag from a dog.

E. Fee. The fee for a dog license shall be $2.

F. Penalty. Any person who shall violate this section shall upon conviction be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500 for each offense. Subsequent compliance by the purchase of a license after the date of citation shall not be a defense.

§ 10-3B-3 Prohibited behavior, conditions.

[1983 Code; amended 12-17-2001; 10-21-2003]

A. Disturbing the Peace.

1. No person owning or keeping any dog shall suffer or permit such dog to disturb the peace and quiet of the neighborhood by barking, making other loud or unusual noises, or by running through or across cultivated gardens or fields.

2. Any dog found in the Village without a license or running at large is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and shall be impounded.

B. Areas Prohibited to Dogs.

1. No dog shall be permitted, even though the same be on leash or carried, to enter or be in or on the following places or areas:

a. Commercial or business areas including adjacent parking areas and parkways; provided, however, that dogs may be left in cars parked in parking lots adjacent to commercial or business areas.

b. Any restaurant or food market.

c. In the public building and on the public grounds adjacent to the Village Hall, Public Safety Building, Public Works Building, water works, library, Village water wells or sewage lift stations; provided, however, that dogs may be left in cars parked in parking lots adjacent to public buildings.

2. The provisions of this section shall not apply to guide, hearing or support dog accompanying a blind, hearing impaired or physically handicapped person.

3. It shall be the duty of every police officer to report to the Chief of Police any dog which is found in the Village contrary to the provisions of this section.

C. Vicious dogs. No known vicious dogs shall be kept within the limits of the Village except pursuant to 10-3B-3E. For purposes of this chapter:

DANGEROUS DOG

Any individual dog which when either unmuzzled, unleashed, or unattended by its owner, or a member of its owner's family, in a vicious or terrorizing manner, approaches any person in an apparent attitude of attack upon streets, sidewalks, or any public grounds or places.

VICIOUS DOG

1. Any individual dog that when unprovoked inflicts bites or attacks a human being or other animal either on public or private property.

2. Any individual dog with a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack without provocation, to cause injury or to otherwise endanger the safety of human beings or domestic animals.

3. Any individual dog that has as a trait or characteristic and a generally known reputation for viciousness, dangerousness or unprovoked attacks upon human beings or other animals, unless handled in a particular manner or with special equipment.

4. Any individual dog which attacks a human being or domestic animal without provocation.

5. Any individual dog which has been found to be a "dangerous dog" upon three separate occasions.

a. No dog shall be deemed "vicious" if it bites, attacks, or menaces a trespasser on the property of its owner or harms or menaces anyone who has tormented or abused it or is a professionally trained dog for law enforcement or guard duties. Vicious dogs shall not be classified in a manner that is specific as to breed.

b. If a dog is found to be a vicious dog, the dog shall be subject to enclosure.

D. Vicious Dogs at Large. Any dangerous, fierce or vicious dog running at large in the public ways or public places of the Village or upon private premises of any person other than the owner or keeper, or which shall bite a person as to cause an abrasion of the skin, is hereby declared to be a nuisance, and such a dog shall be immediately taken up and impounded.

E. Restraint of vicious or dangerous animals. Every animal declared dangerous or vicious shall be confined by its owner or authorized agent of its owner within a building or secure enclosure and, whenever off the premises of its owner, shall be securely muzzled and restrained with a chain having a minimum tensile strength of 300 pounds and not more than three feet in length, or caged. Every person harboring a vicious animal is charged with an affirmative duty to confine the animal in such a way that children do not have access to such animal.

F. Penalties. The owner or keeper of a dog shall have a duty to prevent the dog from attacking a human being or animal without provocation. This section shall not apply to professionally trained police dogs or trespassers. Anyone who shall violate this section shall, upon conviction, be fined a minimum of $500 and must keep the dog enclosed and/or restrained pursuant to Subsection E. In the event the dog attacks a human being or animal without provocation a second time, and the owner or keeper of the animal is convicted under this section, then the dog shall be seized and destroyed by the Village and/or its authorized agents upon application and approval by the court.

§ 10-3B-4 Rabies provisions.

[1983 Code]

A. It shall be unlawful for the owner or keeper of any dog, when notified that such dog has bitten any person or has so injured any person as to cause an abrasion of the skin, to sell or give away such dog or to permit or allow such dog to be taken beyond the limits of the Village; but it shall be the duty of such owner or keeper upon receiving notice of the character aforesaid, to immediately place such dog in a duly licensed veterinary hospital in the county where such dog shall be confined for a period of at least 10 days, or to deliver such dog to any policeman for such placement. In case such dog is delivered to a veterinary hospital, notice of the name and location of such hospital shall be immediately furnished to the Chief of Police by the owner or keeper of such dog. Any policeman receiving such dog shall forthwith convey such dog to the nearest veterinary hospital, where such dog shall be securely chained or confined for a period of at least 10 days. If any dangerous or vicious dog as defined in 10-3B-3C cannot be safely taken up and impounded, such dog may be slain by any policeman. In all cases where any dog which has bitten a person or caused an abrasion of the skin is slain by any policeman, whether by order of court or otherwise, and a period of less than 10 days has elapsed since the day on which such dog bit any person or caused an abrasion of the skin of any person, it shall be the duty of the policeman slaying such dog to forthwith deliver the carcass and brain of such dog to the County Board of Health.

B. Muzzling. It is hereby made the duty of any person receiving a dog from any veterinary hospital or place where it has been impounded by the Chief of Police, to securely muzzle and chain such dog for a period of at least 15 days from the date of receiving the dog from such place.

C. Destruction of Dogs. In the event the Health Officer determines that there is or exists the danger of rabies, any dog so endangered may be destroyed after a period of 24 hours of impoundment.

§ 10-3B-5 Impoundment of dogs.

[1983 Code]

A. Impoundment Provided. It shall be the duty of such Village employees as shall be designated for that purpose by the Chief of Police to take up and impound any dog found in violation of the provisions of this chapter.

B. Registry of Impoundment. The Chief of Police, or his duly appointed agent, shall immediately upon impounding any dog make a complete registry thereof, enter in the breed, color and sex of such dog, and whether licensed, if known; and if licensed, he shall enter the name and address of the owner or keeper and number of the license tag, if known, and if bearing an inoculation tag, the number of which tag shall be recorded, and he shall keep licensed dogs separated from unlicensed dogs. When any licensed dog shall be impounded, notice thereof shall be given to the owner or keeper of such licensed dog, informing such owner or keeper of the impounding of his dog and that if such dog be not redeemed within four days of the date of such notice, such dog may be redeemed by any person paying the required fees.

C. Fees. There shall be charged and collected the following fees for the impoundment of any dog under the provisions of this chapter:

1. For the taking up or impounding of any dog, licensed or not, $15.

2. For each day such dog is impounded the rate charged by the animal hospital that housed the impounded dog.

D. Any person desiring to redeem any dog impounded under the provisions of this chapter shall be entitled to do so by paying all fees which have accrued due to the impounding of such dog as of the date of redemption and, in the event such dog has not been licensed, obtaining a dog license for such dog in pursuance to the applicable provisions of this chapter.

E. Disposal. Any dog not redeemed by his owner within four days after impoundment may be redeemed by any person paying the required fees, or released to an animal welfare agency or destroyed in a humane manner.

§ 10-3B-6 Kennels, license.

[1983 Code]

Any person owning, keeping, maintaining or harboring more than three dogs shall be considered a kennel operator and as such shall be required to secure a kennel license from the Village.

§ 10-3B-7 Penalty.

[1983 Code]

Unless other penalty is expressly provided herein, any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this chapter, shall, upon conviction, be fined not less than $50 nor more than $500 for each and every offense.