Welcome to hound law. Be an ambassador for dogs: obey these ten city laws. Pick up after your dog. Keep her on a leash. Teach her to behave. Read this entire page!

Get a Rabies Vaccine
All dogs over four months old must be inoculated against rabies (Chicago Municipal Code, Section 7-12-200). Your vet will give you a proof of vaccination certificate, which you'll need to get a dog license, and a tag for your dog to wear. Rabies vaccines must be given once every 3 years.

Get a License
Once your dog has been vaccinated for rabies, he needs a license. Besides being legally mandated (Chicago Municipal Code, Section 7-12-140), a license tag is the best way for your dog to be identified if he is lost. Dog licensing fees go to support the city's shelter. If all of this is not enough of an incentive, licensing your dog gives people who advocate for more off-leash areas and other resources for dogs a more accurate count of the number of dogs in the city. Licenses must be renewed annually.

Most city vet offices and clinics have license applications, or you can find them at the following locations:

Office of the City Clerk		City Hall, Room 107 121 N. LaSalle 312-744-6861 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
City Clerk Satellite Office		5301 S. Cicero 312-745-1100 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Chicago Commission on Animal Care and Control		The David R. Lee Animal Shelter 2741 S. Western 312-747-1406 Every day, 12:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

Scoop the Poop
Not only do you have to pick up after your dog, you have to have bags, newspaper, or something with you to do so whenever you are out with a hound (Chicago Municipal Code, Section 7-12-420). If you'd like to report someone else for not picking up, or for letting waste build up in his or her yard, call the 311 City Services line.

Prevent Dangerous Liaisons
If you choose not to get your dog spayed, it is your responsibility to keep her away from male dogs when she is in heat (Cook County Animal and Rabies Control Ordinance, Section 20-9).

Don't Let Your Dog Run Free
At home, your dog has to be kept in a fenced area (Chicago Municipal Code, Section 7-12-030). Out and about dogs have to be on a leash, unless you're in an area of a park or beach officially designated as a "dog-friendly area" (DFA).

Follow the Rules for Dog Friendly Areas
You need a permit to bring your dog into a DFA (Cook County Animal and Rabies Control Ordinance, Section 20-15). To get a permit, available at vet's offices for $5, your dog will need to be vaccinated against distemper, hepatitis, para-influenza, parvovirus and bordatella (kennel cough) as well as rabies. Violators are subject to a $500 fine. Dogs in heat and puppies under 4 months old are not permitted in DFAs. You may bring in no more than 3 dogs at a time, and you must pick up after your dog.

Keep Your Dog Quiet
The Cook County Animal and Rabies Control Ordinance (Section 20-3) forbids allowing your dog to "bark, whine, howl or make excess noise so as to cause a nuisance."

Deal Appropriately With Dog Bites
If your dog bites a person or another dog, it is your responsibility to report the incident to the police or to the Chicago Commission on Animal Care and Control at 312-747-1406 within 24 hours (Chicago Municipal Code, Section 7-12-090). By law, your dog must be quarantined for ten days to be observed for signs of rabies; otherwise she'll be impounded. If you can provide proof of rabies vaccination, your dog can be confined in your home.

Don't Leave Your Dog in the Car
This isn't just good sense, it's Illinois state law (Humane Care for Animals Act, Section 7-1). If your dog's health or life are endangered by the heat or cold, you could be convicted of a Class C misdemeanor.

Prevent Attacks
Your dog is not allowed to threaten or attack people or pets. If he does, he may be officially designated a "dangerous dog," and you'll be required to follow strict rules in order to keep him, including taking out liability insurance with minimum coverage of $100,000 (Chicago Municipal Code, Section 7-12-050).