Rock Island County, IL Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

065 of the Rock Island County Code of Ordinances applies to the unincorporated area outside Rock Island, Moline, East Moline and the county's other cities, since those municipalities enforce their own leash rules. Any dog, cat, or other animal that an Animal Control Administrator, Deputy Administrator, or authorized representative sees or is told is roaming free and out of its owner's control is deemed running at large and a public nuisance, and must be apprehended and impounded on the spot. Any private citizen may also catch a loose animal and call police or an animal control officer to take custody.

Once impounded, the animal is scanned for a microchip and logged with the location, time, and date of capture before staff try to reach the owner by phone, falling back to mail at the owner's last known address. Impounded strays are held at least seven days; unclaimed, adoptable animals go up for adoption or to a licensed rescue group, and any animal with no placement is euthanized under the state's Humane Euthanasia in Animal Shelters Act, 510 ILCS 72/1 et seq. The owner is billed for every cost of apprehension and impoundment.

The agency can also petition the court to make an owner post security covering estimated boarding and medical costs; if the owner ignores a court order to post it, the dog is forfeited by law. Hunting dogs, dogs in field trials or shows, tracking dogs assisting police, and military or police canine-corps dogs on duty are exempt.