Madison County, IL Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)

045(A), the Madison County Animal Care and Control Department may not release a dog or cat that goes unredeemed by its owner unless the animal has first been rendered incapable of reproduction and microchipped. 045(B) blocks a shelter from handing animals to a rescue-group representative unless that group is licensed by the state Department of Agriculture or is a recognized out-of-state nonprofit; a rescue group that receives an animal may only pass it to another licensed rescue or shelter, and the Administrator must report any shelter that breaks this rule to the state Department of Agriculture for investigation.

046 as long as they do not conflict with this chapter or state law. 150(E). 047, though a feral cat only needs a rabies shot when it is being sterilized. These sections make sterilization a release condition rather than a general ownership mandate: an owner who already has an unaltered pet at home commits no violation of Chapter 50 by that fact alone.