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CHICAGO DOG LAW

7-12-030 Animals shall be restrained.

Each owner shall keep and maintain his animal under restraint; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to any dog being used for rescue or law enforcement work.

It shall be unlawful for any owner to allow his or her animal to cross outside the property line of its owner to any extent, including reaching over or under a fence, or to keep or allow his or her animal to be outdoors on an unfenced portion of the owner's property, unless the animal is leashed and under the control of its owner or another responsible person.

In addition, it shall be an unlawful failure to restrain for an animal to attack, bite, threaten, or jump on any person without that person's consent, outside the property of the animal's owner. The provisions of this section shall be a positive duty of the owner and the offenses described herein shall be strict liability offenses.

Any owner who violates any provision of this section shall be subject to a fine of $300.00, if the violation does not result in severe injury or death to any person or damage to another person's property.

If the violation results in severe injury or death to any person, the owner shall be subject to a fine of not less than $1,000.00 and not more than $10,000.00. In addition to a fine, the owner may be required to submit full restitution to the victim or may be incarcerated for a period not to exceed six months, or may be required to perform up to 100 hours of community service, or any combination thereof.

If the violation results in damage to another person's property, the owner shall be subject to a fine of not less than $300.00 and not more than $1,000.00. In addition to a fine, the owner may be required to submit full restitution to the victim.

(Prior code § 98-3; Amend Coun. J. 10-2-95, p. 8604; Amend Coun. J. 10-31-01, p. 71774, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 3-31-04, p. 20916, § 3.25)

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7-12-050 Dangerous animals--Determination and requirements.

The executive director shall have the authority to make a determination that an animal is a dangerous animal, as defined in Section 7-12-020, and to order the owner to comply with any of the measures set forth below for the protection of public health, safety and welfare.

(a)     Upon receipt of a citizen complaint or other report of an animal bite, attack, threatening behavior, or other reason to believe an animal may be a dangerous animal, the executive director or an animal control officer shall evaluate the seriousness of the complaint or report and, if the circumstances warrant, may conduct an investigation of the facts. Where practicable and readily located, the investigation shall include interviewing the complainant, the victim, if any, the animal's owner, and any witnesses, and observation of the animal and the scene.

The investigator then shall make a written finding of whether an animal is a dangerous animal as defined in Section 7-12-020 and of the basis for that finding. In addition, if during the course of the investigation, the investigator uncovers evidence of inhumane treatment of any animal in violation of Section 7-12-090, he or she shall make a written finding of the specific violation and forward such to the executive director. For purposes of this section, a police report may constitute an investigation and may include a finding of dangerousness. Based upon the investigator's finding of a dangerous animal, the executive director shall declare in writing whether the animal is a dangerous animal.

(b)     Where an animal is declared to be a dangerous animal, and the animal has caused severe injury to any person, then the executive director may order the humane destruction of the animal, where appropriate, taking into consideration the severity and the circumstances of injury. Where an animal is declared to be a dangerous animal, and the animal has caused death to any person, then the executive director shall order the humane destruction of the animal.

(c)     In all cases where an animal is declared to be a dangerous animal and the animal is not humanely destroyed, the executive director shall order the owner to comply with the following requirements:

(1)     While on the owner's property, the owner must securely confine the dangerous animal indoors or within a securely enclosed and locked pen, structure, or fence, suitable to prevent the entry of young children and designed to prevent the animal from escaping. Such pen, structure, or fence must be a minimum of six feet in height and must have secure sides. If it has no bottom secured to the sides, the sides must be embedded into the ground no less than two feet deep. The enclosure also must be humane and provide some protection from the elements for the animal.

(2)     While off of the owner's property, a dangerous animal must be muzzled securely to prevent the possibility of biting, restrained by a substantial chain or leash not exceeding six feet in length, and under the control of a responsible person at all times. The muzzle must be made in a manner that will not cause injury to the animal or impair its vision or respiration but must prevent it from biting any person or animal.

(3)     The owner must display, in a conspicuous manner, a sign on the owner's premises warning that a dangerous animal is on the premises by stating in capital letters:

"Warning--Dangerous Animal--Keep Away."

The sign must be visible and legible from the public way and from 50 feet away from the special enclosure required pursuant to subsection (c)(1) above.

(4)     The owner, at the owner's expense, shall have an identifying microchip installed under the animal's skin by a veterinarian authorized by the executive director.

(5)     The animal shall be spayed or neutered, at the owner's expense.

(6)     Within ten business days of the declaration that the animal is a dangerous animal, the owner must procure and maintain in effect liability insurance, including coverage of claims arising from the conduct of the owner's animal, in an amount not less than $100,000.00. The insurance shall include a provision whereby the insurer notifies the executive director not less than 30 days prior to cancellation or lapse of coverage.

In addition, the executive director may order the owner to comply with any of the following requirements, in any combination:

(7)     The owner must confine the dangerous animal to the secure enclosure described above in subsection (c)(1) at all times and only allow the animal out under the conditions set forth in subsection (c)(2) when it is necessary to obtain veterinary care for the animal or to comply with a court order.

(8)     The owner and the animal must complete a course of animal obedience training approved by the commission.

In the alternative to (1)--(8) above, the executive director may order that the dangerous animal shall be permanently barred from the city limits.

(d)     Where the owner's address can be reasonably ascertained, the executive director shall send written notice to the owner, by certified mail, stating that his or her animal has been declared a dangerous animal, describing the basis for such declaration by specific behavior and date(s) of occurrence, setting forth all applicable orders and restrictions imposed reason of such declaration, and informing the owner of his or her right to appeal such determination by filing a written request for a hearing within seven days of receipt of the notice. A copy of such notice shall be sent to the complainant, if any. Where the animal has been impounded pursuant to subsection (f) below, such notice shall be sent within 15 days after such impoundment.

(e)     If the owner requests a hearing, the executive director, if the department of administrative hearings has not exercised jurisdiction in accordance with Section 2-14-190(c) of this Code, or the department of administrative hearings, if the office has exercised jurisdiction in accordance with Section 2-14-190(c) of this Code, shall appoint an administrative law officer who shall hold a hearing, at which all interested parties may present testimony and any other relevant evidence, within 15 days of the request. The hearing shall be taped or recorded by other appropriate means. If the administrative law officer upholds the executive director's determination that the animal is dangerous, the owner shall have 30 days to satisfy all requirements set out in subsection (c) and the notice. In those cases where the executive director has ordered humane destruction of the dangerous animal, that order shall not be carried out until seven days after the hearing; if the owner appeals to the circuit court during that time period, that order shall be stayed until resolution of such appeal.

(f)     Where there is probable cause to believe that an animal is a dangerous animal, the executive director or his designee is authorized to impound and hold such animal, at the owner's expense, pending the investigation and final resolution of any appeals. Where the animal has caused severe injury or death to any person, the executive director or his designee is required to impound and hold such animal, at the owner's expense, pending the investigation and final resolution of any appeals. Moreover, in no event shall a dangerous animal be released to its owner before the executive director or his designee approves the enclosure required by subsection (c)(1). The holding period and impoundment procedures for animals of unknown ownership shall be governed by Section 7-12-060.

(g)     Guard dogs and dogs which have been found to be "vicious dogs" under state law, both of which are defined in Section 7-12-020 above as dangerous animals, automatically are required to comply with the requirements of Section 7-12-050(c)(1)--(3) without the need for any individualized declaration or the right to any hearing, except that, to the extent an owner disputes the fact that his or her animal is used as a guard dog by a commercial venture, in such instances the protections set forth above shall apply.

(Added Coun. J. 10-2-95, p. 8604; Amend Coun. J. 7-10-96, p. 24983; Amend Coun. J. 11-12-97, p. 56814; Amend Coun. J. 4-29-98, p. 66565; Amend Coun. J. 10-31-01, p. 71774, § 2)

7-12-051 Dangerous animals--Violations.

(a)     Any owner who fails to comply with any of the requirements of Section 7-12-050(c) and any additional orders of the executive director as authorized by that subsection shall be punished by a fine of not less than $200.00 nor more than $500.00 for the first offense, and not less than $500.00 nor more than $1,000.00 for the second offense. Any subsequent offenses shall be punished as a misdemeanor by incarceration for a term not to exceed six months. In addition to the penalties set forth above, the executive director may order an owner who violates Section 7-12-050(c) to attend with his or her animal a course of animal obedience training approved by the commission.

(b)     Any animal which has been declared a dangerous animal and which (1) is seen outside and not confined within the enclosure required by Section 7-12-050(c)(1), and not muzzled and under control as required by Section 7-12-050(c)(2), or (2) thereafter attacks or injures a person or domestic animal, may be impounded by an animal control officer or a police officer, at the owner's expense, and the executive director may order the owner to comply with any of the alternatives set forth in Section 7-12-050(b) and (c), including humane destruction of the animal. The owner shall be entitled to notice and an opportunity for a hearing in the same manner as provided in Section 7-12-050(d) and (e) above.

(Added Coun. J. 10-2-95, p. 8604)

7-12-052 Dangerous animals--Miscellaneous.

(a)     Every owner of a dangerous animal shall allow inspection of the required enclosure by the executive director or his designee.

(b)     All dangerous animals as defined in this chapter are hereby declared to be a public nuisance; provided that they are lawful if maintained in strict compliance with the requirements set out in Section 7-12-050(c).

(c)     The executive director and/or the commission are hereby authorized to enact regulations governing dangerous animals as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter and to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

(d)     Where an animal has caused severe injury or death to any person, but it is not found to be a dangerous animal on the grounds that the attack was provoked, the executive director shall advise the owner to comply with the safety measures set forth in Section 7-12-050(c) in order to protect the public health, safety and welfare.

(Added Coun. J. 10-2-95, p. 8604)

 

UPDATES: MARCH 2007

Owners of vicious dogs may be fined $5,000, get jail time

March 13, 2007 BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter

A City Council committee agreed Monday to put some teeth into Chicago's dangerous dog ordinance -- in the form of hefty fines and jail time for negligent owners.

Instead of approving a breed-specific ban on pit bulls and other dogs groomed for fighting, the License Committee agreed to put the blame where Mayor Daley believes it belongs: on irresponsible owners.

Owners of dogs deemed dangerous are already required to get insurance, put up a fence, post warning signs, muzzle their pets in public and surrender them to the city after a bite incident.

But there's a catch: The only penalty is an administrative violation that's the equivalent of a parking ticket with a fine ranging from $100 to $300.

Now recalcitrant owners would face fines as high as $5,000 and up to six months in jail for refusing to comply. They'll also be required to microchip any dog or cat impounded as a stray or neglected animal, or for animal cruelty.

"On Halloween, a trick-or-treater was bitten by a dog. The citizen was able to just take the dog and bring the dog into his house. We had no recourse to get that dog out . . . for rabies observation," said Anne Kent, executive director of the city's Animal Care and Control. "If the citizen does not surrender the animal, we issue an order of impoundment. But the only punitive aspect is a ticket."

License Committee Chairman Eugene Schulter (47th) said it's high time that City Hall crack the whip against negligent owners.

Law not breed-specificThe mayor's ordinance also updates the definition of "severe injury" to a bite wound that does not necessarily require sutures.

"We have a serious problem in our city. People have had a long time to obey the law. And they have not done that. People have been getting away with it for a real long time. We have to make sure that the people of our city are protected," Schulter said.

In December 2005, Ald. Ginger Rugai (19th) tried again to target pit bulls in response to a pit bull attack that killed one female jogger in the Dan Ryan Woods and severely injured a Beverly woman.

On Monday, Kent argued that the mayor's approach makes more sense than a breed-specific ban. "We at Animal Care have myriad animals that bite. We have German shepherds, Rotts, pits. This is much more all-encompassing. . . . It's placing the burden on the owner of the animal -- not on any particular breed," she said.

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AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB BREEDS

· Airedale Terrier

· Akita

· Alaskan Malamute 

· American Staffordshire Terrier 

· Australian Cattle Dog

· Australian Shepherd 

· Basenji

· Basset Hound

· Beagle 

· Bedlington Terrier

· Belgian Malinois

· Belgian Sheepdog

· Belgian Tervuren

· Bernese Mountain Dog

· Bichon Frise

· Black and Tan Coonhound

· Bloodhound

· Border Collie

· Border Terrier

· Borzoi

· Boston Terrier

· Bouvier des Flandres

· Boxer

· Briard

· Brittany

· Brussels Griffon

· Bull Terrier

· Bulldog

· Bullmastiff

· Cairn Terrier 

· Cardigan Welsh Corgi

· Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

· Chesapeake Bay Retriever

· Chihuahua

· Chinese Crested

· Chinese Shar-Pei

· Chow Chow

· Cocker Spaniel

· Collie

· Curly-Coated Retriever

· Dachshund

· Dalmatian 

· Doberman Pinscher 

· English Setter

· English Springer Spaniel 

· Flat-Coated Retriever

· French Bulldog 

· German Pinscher

· German Shepherd Dog

· German Shorthaired Pointer

· German Wirehaired Pointer

· Giant Schnauzer

· Golden Retriever

· Gordon Setter

· Great Dane

· Great Pyrenees

· Greyhound

· Havanese

· Ibizan Hound

· Irish Setter

· Irish Terrier 

· Irish Wolfhound

· Italian Greyhound 

· Keeshond

· Kerry Blue Terrier 

· Labrador Retriever

· Lhasa Apso

· Maltese 

· Mastiff 

· Miniature Pinscher

· Miniature Schnauzer

· Newfoundland

· Norfolk Terrier

· Norwegian Elkhound

· Norwich Terrier 

· Old English Sheepdog  

· Pekingese

· Pembroke Welsh Corgi 

· Pointer 

· Pomeranian

· Poodle

· Portuguese Water Dog

· Pug

· Puli

· Rhodesian Ridgeback

· Rottweiler 

· Samoyed

· Schipperke 

· Shetland Sheepdog

· Shiba Inu

· Shih Tzu

· Siberian Husky

· Silky Terrier 

· Smooth Fox Terrier

· Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier 

· St. Bernard 

· Standard Schnauzer 

· Tibetan Terrier 

· Vizsla

· Weimaraner 

· West Highland White Terrier

· Whippet

· Wire Fox Terrier

· Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

· Yorkshire Terrier

UNITED KENNEL CLUB BREEDS

Affenpinscher
  Bichon Frise
Bolognese
Boston Terrier
Brussels Griffon
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Chihuahua
Chinese Crested
Coton de Tulear
Dalmatian
English Bulldog
English Toy Spaniel
French Bulldog
Havanese
Italian Greyhound
Japanese Chin
Lhasa Apso
Lowchen
Maltese
Miniature Pinscher
Papillon
Pekingese
Peruvian Inca Orchid
Pomeranian
Poodle (Miniature & Toy)
Pug
Schipperke
Shih Tzu
Tibetan Spaniel
Tibetan Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier

Ainu
Akita
Alaskan Klee Kai
Alaskan Malamute
American Eskimo
Canadian Eskimo Dog
Chinese Shar-Pei
Chinook
Chow Chow
East Siberian Laika
Eurasian
Finnish Lapphund
Finnish Spitz
Greenland Dog
Iceland Dog
Jindo
Kai
Karelian Bear Dog
Keeshond
Lundehund
Norbottenspets
Norwegian Buhund
Norwegian Elkhound
Russo-European Laika
Samoyed
Shiba
Siberian Husky
Swedish Lapphund
West Siberian Laika

Akbash Dog
American Bulldog
Anatolian Shepherd
Appenzeller
Bernese Mountain Dog
Black Russian Terrier
Boxer
Bull Mastiff
Caucasian Ovtcharka
Central Asian Shepherd Dog
Danish Broholmer
Doberman Pinscher
Dogo Argentino
Dogue de Bordeaux
Entlebucher
Estrela Mountain Dog
Great Dane
Great Pyrenees
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Hovawart
Kangal Dog
Komondor
Krasky Ovcar
Kuvasz
Leonberger
Maremma Sheepdog
Mastiff
Neapolitan Mastiff
Newfoundland
Owczarek Podhalanski
Perro de Presa Canario
Rottweiler
Saint Bernard
Sarplaninac
Slovac Cuvac
South Russian Ovcharka
Spanish Mastiff
Tibetan Mastiff
Tosa Ken

Alpine Dachsbracke
American Black & Tan Coonhound
American Foxhound
Anglo-Francais de Moyen Venerie
Anglo-Francais de Petit Venerie
Ariegeois
Basset Artesien Normand
Basset Bleu de Gascogne
Basset Fauve De Bretagne
Basset Hound
Bavarian Mountain Hound
Beagle
Beagle Harrier
Billy
Black Forest Hound
Black Mouth Cur
Bloodhound
Bluetick Coonhound
Briquette Griffon Vendeen
Chien D'Artois
Chien Francais Blanc et Noir
Chien Francais Black et Orange
Chien Francais Tricolore
Dachshund
Deutsche Bracke
Drever
Dunker
English Coonhound
English Foxhound
Estonian Hound
Finnish Hound
Grand Anglo-Francais
Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen
Grand Bleu de Gascogne
Grand Gascon-Saintongeois
Grand Griffon Vendeen
Griffon Fauve de Bretegne
Griffon Nivernais
Hamiltonstovare
Hanoverian Hound
Harrier
Large Spanish Hound (Sabueso Espanol de Monte)
Leopard Cur
Mountain Cur
Otterhound
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
Petit Bleu de Gascone
Petit Gascon-Saintongeois
Petit Griffon Bleu de Gascogne
Plott Hound
Poitevin
Polish Hound
Porcelaine
Redbone Coonhound
Small Spanish Hound (Sabueso Espanol Lebero)
Stephens' Cur
Treeing Cur
Treeing Walker Coonhound
Welsh Hound

American Water Spaniel
Barbet
Boykin Spaniel
Bracco Italiano
Braque D'Auvergne
Braque du Bourbonnais
Braque Francais, de Grande Taille
Braque Francais, de Petite Taille
Braque Saint-Germain
Brittany Spaniel
Cesky Fousek
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Clumber Spaniel
Cocker Spaniel
Curly-Coated Retriever
Deutscher Wachtelhund (German Spaniel)
Drentse Patrijshond
English Cocker Spaniel
English Pointer
English Setter
English Springer Spaniel
Epagneul Blue de Picardie
Epagneul Breton
Epagneul Picard
Epagneul Pont-Audemer
Field Spaniel
Flat-coated Retriever
French Spaniel (Epagneul Francais)
German Longhaired Pointer
German Shorthaired Pointer
German Wirehaired Pointer
Golden Retriever
Gordon Setter
Irish Red & White Setter
Irish Setter
Irish Water Spaniel
Kooikerhondje
Labrador Retriever
Large Munsterlander
Novia Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Old Danish Bird Dog
Perdiguero de Burgos
Perdiguero Navarro
Portuguese Pointer (Perdiguero Portugueso)
Portuguese Water Dog
Pudelpointer
Small Munsterlander
Spanish Water Dog
Spinone Italiano
Stabyhoun
Standard Poodle
Sussex Spaniel
Vizsla
Weimaraner
Welsh Springer Spaniel
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

Afghan Hound
Azawakh
Basenji
Borzoi
Canaan Dog
Carolina Dog
Chart Polski
Greyhound
Ibizan Hound
Irish Wolfhound
Lurcher
New Guinea Singing Dog
Pharaoh Hound
Podengo Portugueso
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Saluki
Scottish Deerhound
Sloughi
Spanish Greyhound
Thai Ridgeback
Whippet
Xoloitzcuintli

Airedale Terrier
American Hairless Terrier
American Pit Bull Terrier
Australian Terrier
Bedlington Terriers
Border Terrier
Bull Terrier
Cairn Terrier
Cesky Terrier
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
German Pinscher
Glen of Imaal Terrier
Irish Terrier
Jack Russell Terrier
Jagdterrier
Kerry Blue Terrier
Kromfohrlander
Lakeland Terrier
Manchester Terrier
Miniature Bull Terrier
Miniature Schnauzer
Norfolk Terrier
Norwich Terrier
Patterdale Terrier
Rat Terrier
Russell Terrier
Scottish Terrier
Sealyham Terrier
Silky Terrier
Skye Terrier
Smooth Fox Terrier
Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
Sporting Lucas Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Teddy Roosevelt Terrier
Toy Fox Terrier
Treeing Feist
Welsh Terrier
West Highland White Terrier
Wire Fox Terrier

Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Kelpie
Australian Shepherd
Bearded Collie
Beauceron
Belgian Shepherd Dogs
(Groenendael, Laekenois, Malinois, Tervueren)
Bergamasco
Berger Picard (Picardy Shepherd)
Berger de Pyrenees
Border Collie
Bouvier Des Flandres
Briard
Collie
Dutch Shepherd
English Shepherd
German Shepherd Dog
Giant Schnauzer
Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog
Mudi
Old English Sheep Dog
Polski Owczarek Nizinny
Puli
Pumi
Schapendoes
Shetland Sheepdog
Standard Schnauzer
Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
Swedish Vallhund
Welsh Corgi-Cardigan
Welsh Corgi-Pembroke
White Shepherd

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