Tails In the News
Law establishes fund to aid low-income pet guardians
By Lauren Lewis
“New fees are a good thing,” says Ledy VanKavage, Sr. Director
of Legal Training and Legislation for the American Society for the Prevention and Cruelty of Animals. She is referring to Illinois’ Public Act 94-0639, Animal Population Control Act, or Anna’s Law. “It’s the new gold standard with regard to animal control,” she says of the legislation.
The new law, which went into effect January 1, will create a
public health and safety animal population control fund mostly
through donations and the requisition of new fees at state animal control agencies. The legislation establishes that pet guardians now have to pay $25 to reclaim their cat or dog from the shelter, and county and municipal animal control agencies are required to implement additional fees for the registration of dogs and cats that are not spayed or neutered—at least $10 more than what was previously charged.
The fund will go towards assisting low-income residents to spay or neuter their pets starting in 2007. Lawmakers estimate that the fund will generate a minimum of $2 million a year.
In order to receive aid from this fund, pet guardians must be on
the food stamp program or Medicaid. Counties can set up their own fund for low income pet guardians. If the counties do not have a fund, the fees will go to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Additionally, Anna’s Law provides for a funding mechanism for the spaying/neutering of feral cats, making it the first state law of its kind. Once the funds are in place, the law will allow pet guardians who receive food stamps, disability benefits, or feral cat caretakers to get their animals spayed/neutered and vaccinated for only $15.
“The only problem we have is changing the mind set from reactive to proactive,” says VanKavage, explaining that some
animal control agencies fear animal registration will decrease
because of the $10 differential. “Concentrating on spaying/
neutering increases the public safety, saves taxpayers money,
and saves animals lives. Virtually all the fatal dog attacks that
occurred in our state involved unsterilized animals.”
In fact, the new law is dubbed Anna’s Law in reference to 48-year-old Anna Cieslewicz, the woman who was attacked and
killed by stray dogs while jogging in the Dan Ryan Woods near
Chicago in 2003.
VanKavage adds that other communities who’ve implemented
similar programs have seen positive results. For example, she says, “New Hampshire residents save $3.17 for every $1 that goes into their spay/neuter program. Since starting their program in 1995 their euthanasia rate has decreased by 77 percent and their
shelter admissions by 37 percent.”
For more information about Anna’s Law visit the Public Acts
section at www.ILGA.gov and click 94-0639.
of Legal Training and Legislation for the American Society for the Prevention and Cruelty of Animals. She is referring to Illinois’ Public Act 94-0639, Animal Population Control Act, or Anna’s Law. “It’s the new gold standard with regard to animal control,” she says of the legislation.
The new law, which went into effect January 1, will create a
public health and safety animal population control fund mostly
through donations and the requisition of new fees at state animal control agencies. The legislation establishes that pet guardians now have to pay $25 to reclaim their cat or dog from the shelter, and county and municipal animal control agencies are required to implement additional fees for the registration of dogs and cats that are not spayed or neutered—at least $10 more than what was previously charged.
The fund will go towards assisting low-income residents to spay or neuter their pets starting in 2007. Lawmakers estimate that the fund will generate a minimum of $2 million a year.
In order to receive aid from this fund, pet guardians must be on
the food stamp program or Medicaid. Counties can set up their own fund for low income pet guardians. If the counties do not have a fund, the fees will go to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Additionally, Anna’s Law provides for a funding mechanism for the spaying/neutering of feral cats, making it the first state law of its kind. Once the funds are in place, the law will allow pet guardians who receive food stamps, disability benefits, or feral cat caretakers to get their animals spayed/neutered and vaccinated for only $15.
“The only problem we have is changing the mind set from reactive to proactive,” says VanKavage, explaining that some
animal control agencies fear animal registration will decrease
because of the $10 differential. “Concentrating on spaying/
neutering increases the public safety, saves taxpayers money,
and saves animals lives. Virtually all the fatal dog attacks that
occurred in our state involved unsterilized animals.”
In fact, the new law is dubbed Anna’s Law in reference to 48-year-old Anna Cieslewicz, the woman who was attacked and
killed by stray dogs while jogging in the Dan Ryan Woods near
Chicago in 2003.
VanKavage adds that other communities who’ve implemented
similar programs have seen positive results. For example, she says, “New Hampshire residents save $3.17 for every $1 that goes into their spay/neuter program. Since starting their program in 1995 their euthanasia rate has decreased by 77 percent and their
shelter admissions by 37 percent.”
For more information about Anna’s Law visit the Public Acts
section at www.ILGA.gov and click 94-0639.
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You can now contribute to the Illinois Pet Population Control Fund on your income tax form. Donate any amount of your refund to help spay and neuter dogs and cats in Illinois. This year, 100,000 must be designated for the fund or the income tax check off option will be removed.
