Public Act 104-0072
 
SB0128 EnrolledLRB104 07382 BDA 17422 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 for the period described in this subsection; , 
however, the owner is still responsible for the tag fees. A 
determination under this subsection is valid for one year but 
may be annually renewed thereafter by a licensed veterinarian. 
    (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. 101-299, eff. 1-1-20.)