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

Animal control in DuPage County is governed by Chapter 5 of the DuPage County Code of Ordinances, which is administered by DuPage County Animal Services (DCAS). Chapter 5 implements the Illinois Animal Control Act (510 ILCS 5) at the county level — most importantly Section 8, which requires that every dog and cat in the state be inoculated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian and issued a county rabies registration tag. DuPage charges a tiered registration fee ($18 for a 1-year altered pet through $95 for a 3-year unaltered pet) and issues tags from DCAS headquarters at 2255 Manchester Road, Wheaton.

DCAS's direct field-enforcement jurisdiction is limited to the unincorporated portions of the county. Within incorporated municipalities (e.g., Naperville, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, Lombard, Addison) the local police department enforces that city or village's own leash and at-large ordinance, while DCAS still administers the county-wide rabies registration and animal-bite/quarantine program. Every domestic animal that bites a person must be examined by a veterinarian and held for the standard 10-day rabies-observation period administered through DCAS and the DuPage County Health Department. After hours, complaints in unincorporated areas are routed to the DuPage County Sheriff at 630-407-2400.