State laws Illinois
From Service Dog Training
State laws in Illinois.
Contents |
Prohibits the harassment of service animals
- Humane Care for Animals Insanely small print...I'm trying to find a site that has this in a more readable fashion.
"Sec. 2.01c. Service animal. "Service animal" means an animal trained in obedience and task skills to meet the needs of a disabled person."
"Sec. 4.03. Teasing, striking or tampering with police animals, service animals, or search and rescue dogs prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully and maliciously taunt, torment, tease, beat, strike, or administer or subject any desensitizing drugs, chemicals or substance to (i) any animal used by a law enforcement officer in the performance of his or her functions or duties, or when placed in confinement off duty, (ii) any service animal, (iii) any search and rescue dog, or (iv) any police, service, or search and rescue animal in training. It is unlawful for any person to interfere or meddle with (i) any animal used by a law enforcement department or agency or any handler thereof in the performance of the functions or duties of the department or agency, (ii) any service animal, (iii) any search and rescue dog, or (iv) any law enforcement, service, or search and rescue animal in training.
- Any person convicted of violating this Section is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. A second or subsequent violation is a Class 4 felony. "
Penalties
"Sec. 4.04. Injuring or killing police animals, service animals, or search and rescue dogs prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully or maliciously torture, mutilate, injure, disable, poison, or kill (i) any animal used by a law enforcement department or agency in the performance of the functions or duties of the department or agency or when placed in confinement off duty, (ii) any service animal, (iii) any search and rescue dog, or (iv) any law enforcement, service, or search and rescue animal in training. However, a police officer or veterinarian may perform euthanasia in emergency situations when delay would cause the animal undue suffering and pain.
- A person convicted of violating this Section is guilty of a Class 4 felony if the animal is not killed or totally disabled; if the animal is killed or totally disabled, the person is guilty of a Class 3 felony. "
Definitions
These two laws define service dogs as trained dogs that perform tasks that meet the needs of their disabled handlers.
"Sec. 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
- "Blind person" means a person who has vision of 20/200 or less with the best correction or has a visual field of 20 degrees or less.
- "Guide dog" means a dog that is trained to lead or guide a blind person.
- "Deaf person" means a person whose hearing disability precludes successful processing of linguistic information through audition with or without a hearing aid.
- "Hearing ear dog" means a dog that is trained to assist a deaf person.
- "Assistance animal" means any animal trained to assist a physically impaired person in one or more daily life activities, including but not limited to:
- (1) guide dogs;
- (2) hearing ear dogs;
- (3) an animal trained to pull a wheelchair;
- (4) an animal trained to fetch dropped items; and
- (5) an animal trained to perform balance work.
- "Daily life activity" includes but is not limited to:
- (1) self‑care;
- (2) ambulation;
- (3) communication;
- (4) transportation; or
- (5) employment.
- "Physically impaired person" means any person who is permanently physically impaired, whose physical impairment limits one or more of daily life activities and who has a record of impairment and is regarded by health care practitioners as having such an impairment, requiring the use of an assistance animal including but not limited to blindness, deafness and complete or partial paralysis. "
Public access rights
"Every totally or partially blind, hearing impaired, person who is subject to epilepsy or other seizure disorders, or otherwise physically disabled person or a trainer of support dogs, guide dogs, seizure‑alert dogs, seizure‑response dogs, or hearing dogs shall have the right to be accompanied by a support dog or guide dog especially trained for the purpose, or a dog that is being trained to be a support dog, guide dog, seizure‑alert dog, seizure‑response dog, or hearing dog, in any of the places listed in this Section without being required to pay an extra charge for the guide, support, seizure‑alert, seizure‑response, or hearing dog; provided that he shall be liable for any damage done to the premises or facilities by such dog."
This law gives access to public accommodations to all service dog users. The wording does not conflict with the guidelines of the ADA.
State laws may be superseded by the ADA. For the text of the ADA, click here. For general information about service dogs, click here. If you are looking for information on service dogs in places of business, check out our Information for businesses.
All opinions and summaries on this page are my own and should not be construed as legal advice. If you are in need of advice on the state or federal laws applicable to service dogs you should contact a lawyer. Last revised 9/26/2009
