Waukegan, IL Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)

Waukegan's animal chapter imposes microchipping in two specific circumstances rather than as a blanket ownership requirement. Under Sec. 4-16(b), when a dog or cat is impounded for violations such as running at large under Sec. 4-41, tethering under Sec. 4-24, being confined in a hot vehicle under Sec. 4-21, or lacking a rabies tag under Sec. 00 fee is repeated in the redemption fee schedule at Sec. 4-84(c)(1), alongside impound fees, veterinary expenses, and any other fines owed before the owner can reclaim the animal.

Separately, Sec. 4-67(f)(8) requires every animal breeder licensed under that section to have a dog or cat "micro-chipped" before it's sold, delivered, offered for sale, bartered, auctioned, or otherwise transferred, and to provide the microchip's registration information to the new owner. Failure to comply with the breeder microchipping condition is one of the listed grounds in subsection (f) for immediate revocation of the breeder's license, on top of any other chapter penalty. Because Sec. 4-1 defines a microchip as "a passive electronic device that is injected into an animal by means of a prepackaged sterilized implanting device, for purposes of identification or recovery," the requirement is specifically about implanted chips, not tags or collars, which are covered separately under the rabies-tag rule in Sec. 4-44.