Alder tries again to improve protection of animals from cruelty, extreme weather

CHICAGO (WGN) — An alderman is hoping a third introduction of his proposed ordinance to enhance the city’s animal cruelty laws will finally make it over the finish line.

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th Ward) plans to introduce at Wednesday’s meeting of the city council’s Committee on Public Safety his ordinance that aims to clarify what owners can and cannot do with their pets, particularly in extreme weather.

Infractions would include tying animals up for longer than 30 minutes or abandoning them in public. Violators would face a $5,000 penalty for each day of violation and have to forfeit the animal.

“We are going to wake people up, bring animal cruelty to the forefront, and hopefully bring it to an end,” Lopez to WGN.

Specifically, the ordinance clarifies that people may not:

• Beat or torture an animal or allow it to be done;
• Fail to provide “breed-appropriate” food, water, air or sanitary shelter (including ventilation);
• Cruelly force an animal into undue physical exertion;
• Leave an animal in a vehicle “for any unreasonable length of time” without proper air circulation;
• Fail to provide reasonably necessary medical care according to “commonly accepted veterinary standards,” in addition to the required rabies vaccine;
• Abandon any animal on any public way or in any place where it may suffer or become a public charge;
• Stake out unattended, or leave unrestrained outside and unattended, for any amount of time, any female dog in season, or stake out any dog, regardless of gender, on private property for more than two consecutive hours;
• Knowingly poison or cause to be poisoned any animal except with a written permit;
• Tether any animal outdoors between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. or for more than 30 minutes when temperatures are below 45 degrees or during any associated weather advisory unless provided with “appropriate” shelter.

The ordinance has twice been previously introduced but has stalled.