Illinois Code § 4.02

§ 4.02.

Arrests; reports. (a) Any law enforcement officer making an arrest for an offense involving one or more animals under Section 4.01 of this Act or Section 48-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012 shall lawfully take possession of all animals and all paraphernalia, implements, or other property or things used or employed, or about to be employed, in the violation of any of the provisions of Section 4.01 of this Act or Section 48-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012. When a law enforcement officer has taken possession of such animals, paraphernalia, implements or other property or things, he or she shall file with the court before whom the complaint is made against any person so arrested an affidavit stating therein the name of the person charged in the complaint, a description of the property so taken and the time and place of the taking thereof together with the name of the person from whom the same was taken and name of the person who claims to own such property, if different from the person from whom the animals were seized and if known, and that the affiant has reason to believe and does believe, stating the ground of the belief, that the animals and property so taken were used or employed, or were about to be used or employed, in a violation of Section 4.01 of this Act or Section 48-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012. He or she shall thereupon deliver an inventory of the property so taken to the court of competent jurisdiction. A law enforcement officer may humanely euthanize animals that are severely injured. An owner whose animals are removed for a violation of Section 4.01 of this Act or Section 48-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012 must be given written notice of the circumstances of the removal and of any legal remedies available to him or her. The notice must be posted at the place of seizure or delivered to a person residing at the place of seizure or, if the address of the owner is different from the address of the person from whom the animals were seized, delivered by registered mail to his or her last known address. The animal control or animal shelter having custody of the animals may file a petition with the court requesting that the person from whom the animals were seized or the owner of the animals be ordered to post security pursuant to Section 3.05 of this Act. Upon the conviction of the person so charged, all animals shall be adopted or humanely euthanized and property so seized shall be adjudged by the court to be forfeited. Any outstanding costs incurred by the impounding facility in boarding and treating the animals pending the disposition of the case and disposing of the animals upon a conviction must be borne by the person convicted. In no event may the animals be adopted by the defendant or anyone residing in his or her household. If the court finds that the State either failed to prove the criminal allegations or failed to prove that the animals were used in fighting, the court must direct the delivery of the animals and the other property not previously forfeited to the owner of the animals and property. Any person authorized by this Section to care for an animal, to treat an animal, or to attempt to restore an animal to good health and who is acting in good faith is immune from any civil or criminal liability that may result from his or her actions. An animal control warden, animal control administrator, animal shelter employee, or approved humane investigator may humanely euthanize severely injured, diseased, or suffering animal in exigent circumstances. (b) Any veterinarian in this State who is presented with an animal for treatment of injuries or wounds resulting from fighting where there is a reasonable possibility that the animal was engaged in or utilized for a fighting event shall file a report with the Department and cooperate by furnishing the owners' names, date of receipt of the animal or animals and treatment administered, and descriptions of the animal or animals involved. Any veterinarian who in good faith makes a report, as required by this subsection (b), is immune from any liability, civil, criminal, or otherwise, resulting from his or her actions. For the purposes of any proceedings, civil or criminal, the good faith of any such veterinarian shall be presumed. (Source: P.A. 97-1108, eff. 1-1-13; 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)