Public Act 101-0299
 
SB0131 EnrolledLRB101 07265 SLF 52304 b

    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
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
inoculation certificate to the person who presented the feral
cat for veterinary care. The registration requirements or any
fee imposed by the county under Section 3 of this Act shall not
apply to feral cats.
    (f) Rabies vaccine for use on animals shall be sold or
distributed only to and used only by licensed veterinarians.
Such rabies vaccine shall be licensed by the United States
Department of Agriculture.
    (g) If a licensed veterinarian determines in writing that a
rabies inoculation would compromise an animal's health, then
the animal shall be exempt from the rabies inoculation
requirement, however, the owner is still responsible for the
tag fees.
    (h) If a bite occurs from an exempt animal, the exempt
animal shall be treated as an unvaccinated animal. If the
animal is exempt, the animal shall be re-examined by a licensed
veterinarian on no less than an annual basis and be vaccinated
against rabies as soon as the animal's health permits.
(Source: P.A. 99-658, eff. 7-28-16.)