Leash Laws

Summary: This Kentucky statute provides that an owner shall exercise proper care and control of his dog to prevent the dog from violating any local government nuisance ordinance. Any peace officer or animal control officer may seize or destroy any dog found running at large between the hours of sunset and sunrise and unaccompanied and not under the control of its owner or handler. A peace officer or animal control officer shall be under a duty to make a fair and reasonable effort to determine whether any dog found at large between sunset and sunrise is a hound or other hunting dog which has become lost temporarily.

Summary: This Illinois statute provides that nothing in the Animal Control Act shall be held to limit the power of any municipality to prohibit animals from running at large, nor shall anything in this Act be construed to limit the power of any municipality to further control and regulate dogs, cats or other animals in such municipality or other political subdivision provided that no regulation or ordinance is specific to breed.

Summary: This Idaho statute provides that any person who lets his or her dog run at large after a complaint has been made to the sheriff shall be guilty of an infraction punishable as provided in section 18-113A, Idaho Code. Any person who lets his or her dog physically attack someone when not provoked shall be guilty of a misdemeanor in addition to any liability as provided in section 25-2806, Idaho Code. For a second or subsequent violation of this subsection, the court may, in the interest of public safety, order the owner to have the vicious dog destroyed or may direct the appropriate authorities to destroy the dog.

Summary: This Idaho statute provides that once a county board adopts a measure, sixty (60) days from the date of the board's meeting at which this measure is adopted, it shall be the duty of the sheriff of the county to seize and impound all unlicensed dogs at large, excluding those located in a municipality that has enacted a dog license law. A dog impounded under this provision may be killed in a humane manner after 5 days after there has been a "reasonable effort" to locate the owner.

Summary: This Iowa state provides that the chapter relating to state dogs running at large laws does not limit the power of any city or county to prohibit dogs and other animals from running at large, whether or not they have been vaccinated for rabies, and does not limit the power of any city or county to provide additional measures for the restriction of dogs and other animals for the control of rabies and for other purposes.

Summary: This Iowa statute provides that a dog shall be impounded by a local board of health or law enforcement official if the dog is running at large and the dog is not wearing a valid rabies vaccination tag. The statute requires that written notice be sent to the owner (if the owner's name can be reasonably determined from a tag or other source) who then has seven days to redeem the dog before it is euthanized.

Summary: This Iowas statute makes it lawful for any person to kill a dog, wearing a collar with a rabies vaccination tag attached, when the dog is caught in the act of worrying, chasing, maiming, or killing any domestic animal or fowl, or when such dog is attacking or attempting to bite a person.

Summary: This Iowa statute makes it lawful for any person to kill a dog that is required to wear a rabies vaccination tag and is found not wearing one. Further, it is the duty of all peace officers within their respective jurisdictions unless such jurisdiction has provided for the seizure and impoundment of dogs, to kill these untagged dogs.

Summary: This Iowa statute distinguishes between licensed and unlicensed dogs. Specifically, it provides that all dogs under six months of age, and all dogs over said age and wearing a collar with a valid rabies vaccination tag attached to the collar, shall be deemed property. Dogs not provided with a rabies vaccination tag shall not be deemed property.

Summary: These Iowa statutes comprise the state's dog laws. With regard to damage done by dogs and dog bites, the owner of a dog shall be liable to an injured party for all damages done by the dog, when the dog is caught in the action of worrying, maiming, or killing a domestic animal, or the dog is attacking or attempting to bite a person, except when the party damaged is doing an unlawful act, directly contributing to the injury. Further, the law states that it shall be the duty of the owner of any dog, cat or other animal which has bitten or attacked a person or any person having knowledge of such bite or attack to report this act to a local health or law enforcement official. The section also contains general rabies vaccination provisions and a prohibition on dogs running at large (results in impoundment).