Two bills will be considered this week impacting Illinois dog owners.
Tomorrow (Tuesday, March 10), a bill will be considered amending the laws regarding forfeiture of seized dogs when cruelty is suspected.
On Thursday, March 12, the Illinois Senate Agriculture Committee will hear Senate Bill 2990, which would place extensive new requirements on those licensed as dog breeders by the state.
Below is more information the bills and how you can comment:
SB 2990 – New Breeder Requirements and Regulations (Hearing on Thursday, March 12):
SB 2990 in part amends the definition of “dog dealer”, and that is the focus of many of the supporters. However, AKC’s concerns are limited to the bill’s new care and housing requirements for dog breeders. It imposes “one size fits all” commercial-style requirements on dog breeders, regardless of breed, size, or setting. Under Illinois law, a dog breeder is anyone who possesses more than 5 female dogs capable of reproduction.
AKC strongly supports robust laws to prevent cruelty and neglect and believes all dogs must be kept in safe, humane conditions. We also support clear, enforceable standards tailored to the needs of dogs that can be reasonably met by responsible breeders. SB 2990, however, applies uniform commercial-style requirements to breeders, without regard to breed, size, age, or how the dogs are safely managed in a home or small kennel environment.
Take Action
AKC urges all club members and concerned dog owners to submit witness slips in opposition to the proposed changes to dog breeder standards in SB 2990. To submit a witness slip please follow the below steps:
1) Visit the Senate Agriculture Committee hearing page.
2) Scroll down to SB 2990 “Animal Welfare-Dog Dealer” and click the plus icon under the “Witness Slips” column
3) Fully complete the online witness slip form. Include the name of your club in the “Representation” section if applicable. Select “Opponent”, and then if you are not attending the hearing, click “Record of Appearance Only”.
4) Select the box to accept the ILGA Terms of Agreement and click “Create (Slip)”
Talking Points
- SB 2990 imposes rigid, uniform standards for primary enclosures and flooring, including a fixed space formula based only on a dog’s body length and prescriptive flooring requirements that do not recognize alternative safe housing methods for diverse dog breeds.
- These “one size fits all” structural standards are geared toward large commercial facilities and fail to account for the many safe, responsible ways dogs are housed and managed in home-based and small breeding programs. If you are a home-based breeder licensed by the state, discuss how the new standards would impact your ability to breed and raise dogs.
- The bill also requires all adult dogs to have “constant, unfettered access” to an exercise area at least twice the size of their primary enclosure, which can be unsafe when dogs of different breeds, sizes, ages, and temperaments are forced to share the same space. It conflicts with responsible practices that separate dogs by size, sex, age, compatibility, or health and that rely on supervised or rotated exercise, multiple runs, and individualized management to best protect dog welfare.
- It requires primary enclosures to be no lower than 45 degrees F, or higher than 85 degrees, unless recommended by a veterinarian for “a specific, documents medical purpose.” This does not account for the needs of individual dogs, or breeds that may not be best suited for temperatures permitted in the bill.
SB 2892 – Amending Forfeiture Laws (Hearing on Tuesday, March 10):
Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 10, the Senate Criminal Law Committee will consider Senate Bill 2892, which would extend the deadline for a state’s attorney to file a petition for forfeiture of seized dogs for any alleged violation from 14 days to 30 days.
AKC is closely monitoring SB 2892, and encourages those wishing to comment to submit a witness slip HERE.
AKC Government Relations will continue to closely monitor this bill and all legislation impacting dog owners in Illinois. For questions, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.