Bill Text: IL SB2891 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Amends the Animal Welfare Act. Provides that the animal shelter or animal control facility shall register a microchip in a national database with the adoptive owner's information at the time of adoption. Provides that the animal shelter or animal control facility shall retain documentation of the microchip and registration, and shall be searchable by microchip number. Provides that, if at any time after adoption, the adopted animal comes into the possession of an animal control agency, a law enforcement agency, another animal shelter, or a veterinarian, and that agency, shelter, or veterinarian requests information pertaining to the identity and location of the animal's adopter or the history of the animal, the adopting agency shall immediately provide that information to the requesting agency, shelter, or veterinarian. Provides that the information an animal shelter or animal control facility must provide to the adopter prior to the time of adoption shall include any behavior noted during interactions with the dog, including intake, walks, playgroups, socialization sessions, medical examinations, and other assessments; if the dog has killed a companion animal or livestock; and if the dog or cat has bitten any person at the facility or prior to admission. Provides that an animal shelter or animal control facility is prohibited from offering for adoption or transfer, giving away, rehoming, or placing any dog determined to be vicious or dangerous under the Animal Control Act.

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Enrolled) 2026-05-21 - Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Charles Meier [SB2891 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-SB2891-Enrolled.html

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AN ACT concerning regulation.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Animal Welfare Act is amended by changing
Sections 3.3 and 3.5 as follows:
(225 ILCS 605/3.3)
Sec. 3.3. Adoption of dogs and cats.
(a) An animal shelter or animal control facility shall not
adopt out any dog or adopt out or return to field any cat
unless it has been sterilized and microchipped. The animal
shelter or animal control facility shall register the
microchip in a national database with the adoptive owner's
information at the time of adoption. The animal shelter or
animal control facility shall retain documentation of the
microchip and registration, which shall be searchable by
microchip number. However, an animal shelter or animal control
facility may adopt out a dog or cat that has not been
sterilized and microchipped if the adopting owner has executed
a written agreement to have sterilizing and microchipping
procedures performed within 14 days after a licensed
veterinarian certifies the dog or cat is healthy enough for
sterilizing and microchipping procedures and a licensed
veterinarian has certified that the dog or cat is too sick or

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injured to be sterilized or it would be detrimental to the
health of the dog or cat to be sterilized or microchipped at
the time of the adoption.
(b) An animal shelter or animal control facility may adopt
out any dog or cat that is not free of disease, injury, or
abnormality if the disease, injury, or abnormality is
disclosed in writing to the adopter, and the animal shelter or
animal control facility allows the adopter to return the
animal to the animal shelter or animal control facility.
(c) The requirements of subsections (a) and (b) of this
Section do not apply to adoptions subject to Section 11 of the
Animal Control Act.
(d) An animal shelter or animal control facility may waive
the adoption fee for a dog or cat if the person adopting the
dog or cat:
(1) presents to the animal shelter or animal control
facility a current and valid Illinois driver's license
with the word "veteran" printed on its face, a current and
valid Illinois Identification Card with the word "veteran"
printed on its face, or an identification card issued
under the federal Veterans Identification Card Act of 2015
and a valid Illinois driver's license or valid Illinois
Identification Card; and
(2) complies with the adoption policies of the animal
shelter or animal control facility.
(e) An animal shelter or animal control facility may limit

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the number of dogs or cats adopted from that animal shelter or
animal control facility pursuant to this Section to one dog or
cat each in a 2-year period.
(f) If, at any time after adoption, the adopted animal
comes into the possession of an animal control agency, a law
enforcement agency, another animal shelter, or a veterinarian
and the agency, shelter, or veterinarian requests information
pertaining to the identity and whereabouts of the animal's
adopter or the history of the animal, the adopting agency
shall, within one business day, provide that information to
the requesting agency, shelter, or veterinarian.
(Source: P.A. 102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 103-434, eff. 1-1-24;
103-678, eff. 1-1-25.)
(225 ILCS 605/3.5)
Sec. 3.5. Information on dogs and cats available for
adoption by an animal shelter or animal control facility.
(a) An animal shelter or animal control facility must
provide to the adopter prior to the time of adoption the
following information, to the best of its knowledge, on any
dog or cat being offered for adoption:
(1) The breed, age, date of birth, sex, and color of
the dog or cat if known, or if unknown, the animal shelter
or animal control facility shall estimate to the best of
its ability.
(2) The details of any inoculation or medical

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treatment that the dog or cat received while under the
possession of the animal shelter or animal control
facility.
(3) The adoption fee and any additional fees or
charges.
(4) If the dog or cat was returned by an adopter, then
the date and reason for the return.
(5) Any behavior noted during interactions with the
dog, including intake, walks, playgroups, socialization
sessions, medical examinations, and other assessments.
(6) Information describing whether the dog has killed
a companion animal or livestock or has been deemed a
dangerous dog under Section 15.1 of the Animal Control Act
and any restrictions that may apply to the dog, if known.
(7) Information describing whether the dog or cat has
bitten any person at the facility or prior to admission.
(8) (5) The following written statement: "A copy of
our policy regarding warranties, refunds, or returns is
available upon request.".
(9) (6) The license number of the animal shelter or
animal control facility issued by the Illinois Department
of Agriculture.
(b) The information required in subsection (a) shall be
provided to the adopter in written form by the animal shelter
or animal control facility and shall have an acknowledgement
of disclosures form, which must be signed by the adopter and an

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authorized representative of the animal shelter or animal
control facility at the time of the adoption. The
acknowledgement of disclosures form shall include the
following:
(1) A blank space for the dated signature and printed
name of the authorized representative handling the
adoption on behalf of the animal shelter or animal control
facility, which shall be immediately beneath the following
printed statement: "I hereby attest that all of the above
information is true and correct to the best of my
knowledge.".
(2) A blank space for the dated signature and printed
name of the adopter, which shall be immediately beneath
the following statement: "I hereby attest that this
disclosure regarding was posted on or near the cage of the
dog or cat for adoption was presented to me and that I have
read all the disclosures. I further understand that I am
entitled to keep a signed copy of this disclosure.".
(c) A copy of the disclosures and the signed
acknowledgement of disclosures form shall be provided to the
adopter and the original copy shall be maintained by the
animal shelter or animal control facility for a period of 2
years from the date of adoption. A copy of the animal shelter's
or animal control facility's policy regarding warranties,
refunds, or returns shall be provided to the adopter.
(d) An animal shelter or animal control facility is

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prohibited from offering for adoption or transfer, giving
away, rehoming, or placing any dog determined to be a vicious
dog under Section 15 of the Animal Control Act. An animal
shelter or animal control facility shall post in a conspicuous
place in writing on or near the cage of any dog or cat
available for adoption the information required by subsection
(a) of this Section 3.5.
(Source: P.A. 96-1470, eff. 1-1-11.)