Repeal Whiteside County Ordinance 6-39

On April 17th, 2018 the Whiteside County Board (Illinois) passed the following ordinance: 

ARTICLE VI- STRAYING ANIMALS

NOTIFICATION BY PERSONS FINDING COMPANION ANIMALS.

For the purposes of this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed to them by this section:

"Person" means any individual, firm, partnership or corporation, or authorized agent or representative of a person, partnership or corporation.

"Dog" means all members of the family Canidae.

“Stray dog” means any dog that is in a public place and not under the charge of a keeper and has no indication of ownership such as a collar, county registration tag, name tag, microchip, or any other identifiers.

“Straying dog” means any dog that is in a public place and not under the charge of a keeper and has indication of ownership such as a collar, county registration tag, names tag, microchip, or any other identifiers

Any person who finds a stray or straying dog and (1) provides care or safekeeping or (2) retains the companion animal in such a manner as to control its activities shall immediately:

Make a reasonable attempt to notify the owner of the found animal if the owner can be ascertained from any tag, license, collar, tattoo, or other form of identification or markings or if the owner of the animal is otherwise known to the individual. If an owner cannot be located, the dog must be turned into Animal Control the next business day.

If the dog has been found during normal business hours with no tag, microchip, license, collar, tattoo, or other form of identification or markings the dog must immediately be turned over to Whiteside County Animal Control. Individuals must provide to the department contact information, including at least a name and a contact telephone number, and the location where the dog was found. Any Individual who finds a straying dog after normal business hours or during holidays when Animal Control is closed must contact their local law enforcement agency.

If a person finds a stray or straying dog and (1) provides care or safekeeping or (2) retains the dog in such a manner as to control its activities, the individual shall comply with the provisions as it pertains to Humane Care for Animals Act (510 ILCS 70/3.01) (from Ch. 8, par. 703.01) and (510 ILCS 70/3) (from Ch. 8, par. 703)

Any person violating or aiding in the violation of any provision of this County Ordinance, or resisting, obstructing, impeding the Animal Control authority or any authorized officer in enforcing this Ordinance, shall be fined no less than fifty dollars ($50.00) or no more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) . For the first offense, a warning citation may be issued. Each day a person fails to comply constitutes a separate offense. Violators may also be charged with a Class C Misdemeanor.

 

We feel that this ordinance should be repealed. Fining the public for returning a dog to it's owner should not be punishable. This ordinance is not in the best interest of the people and dogs of Whiteside County. The Whiteside County Board should hear what the public and those in animal services have to say before allowing this ordinance to go into effect on June 1st 2018. 

Those who choose can also write their board member, or call them. Here is the link for those members

https://www.whiteside.org/county-board.html