Madison County, IL Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Dog/animal declared dangerous or vicious
- Deadline
- 30 days from designation
- Chip standard
- Administrator-approved and registered
- Shelter/adoption rule
- Also requires microchip, §§ 50.045, 50.150
- Penalty
- $25-$200, § 50.999, rising to misdemeanor
Summary
Madison County does not require microchips for pets generally, but Code § 50.084 makes it mandatory for any dog or animal already declared dangerous or vicious. The chip must be Administrator-approved, registered with the county, and implanted within 30 days of the declaration, or the owner is in violation.
(A) Any dog, or other animal that has been declared dangerous or vicious by the Administrator shall have a microchip approved by the Administrator implanted. The microchip number shall be registered with the Administrator. The microchip shall be implanted within 30 days of the animal’s designation as dangerous or vicious. (B) It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog or other animal declared to be dangerous or vicious to fail to comply with division (A) above.
Full Breakdown
084(A) requires that any dog or other animal the Administrator has declared dangerous or vicious receive a microchip approved by the Administrator, with the chip number registered with the Administrator's office, and requires implantation within 30 days of the dangerous or vicious designation. Division (B) makes it unlawful for the owner to fail to comply. 083(C)(3) orders a vicious dog microchipped and sterilized within ten days of the court's finding. 150(B) repeats that condition for any animal placed up for adoption. There is no general county ordinance requiring every pet owner in unincorporated Madison County to microchip a dog or cat that has never bitten anyone or been the subject of a nuisance finding; the mandate in Chapter 50 attaches specifically to a dangerous or vicious declaration, or to an animal passing through the shelter's custody.
Violations & Fines
Failing to microchip a declared dangerous or vicious dog within the 30-day window, or failing to register the chip number with the Administrator, violates § 50.084(B), enforceable under the general Chapter 50 penalty in § 50.999: a $25 to $200 fine for a first or second offense, escalating to Class C misdemeanor prosecution by the State's Attorney on a third.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Madison County require every dog to be microchipped?
How soon must a declared dangerous dog be microchipped?
What happens if the owner does not comply?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madison County
Compare Madison County to another location·View the Illinois animal ordinances overview
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