Animal Holding:

• Animal with unknown ownership: Animal is held 3 working days, then put up for adoption, if deemed adoptable by the Director of Veterinary Health.

• Animal with known ownership: Animal is held 7 working days, then put up for adoption if an owner has not contacted our office. Owners are contacted by phone upon their identity being obtained as well as a letter being sent to their last known address.

• Animal brought to Center and Placed for Adoption: Animal is immediately available for adoption, unless the Director of Veterinary Health requires the animal be held due to health reasons, or the animals are to young to be adopted.

• Dogs involved in human biting incidents: If a dog is currently vaccinated for Rabies, or if under 4 months of age the dog may be released to an owner for Home Confinement as approved by the Director of Veterinary Health. Those dogs that are not currently vaccinated and are over 4 months of age must be clinically confined either at the Animal Control Center, or at a licensed veterinary clinic. In either instance the animal must be confined for a period of 10 days beginning with the date of the biting incident. Cats, since Rabies inoculation is not required, can be confined at home, but strays must be confined at the Animal Control Center for 10 days.

• Length of stay at the Animal Control Center varies according to the volume of animals that are being brought to the facility. The average holding time for animals is between 10-17 days.

Eligible dogs, pups, cats, and kittens can be adopted on a first come, first served basis upon payment of adoption, rabies inoculation, registration/tag, and spay/neuter deposit fees. These animals are adopted under the following provisions:

The Sangamon County Department of Public Health, Animal Control Center, can not guarantee the health of any animal that is adopted. Due to the types of diseases that are common to dogs and cats, there are incubation periods during which symptoms of disease can not be detected. Therefore, even with vaccination at our facility, the possibility exists that a dog, or cat may show signs of disease after leaving the Animal Control Center. If an adopted animal gets sick within two(2) weeks, the Animal Control Center will provide treatment within its limitations. The adopter of any animal with pre-existing conditions, noted at the time of adoption, will be the responsibility of the person adopting the animal. The Sangamon County Department of Public Health may refund adoption fees, or may exchange a sick, or healthy animal for another animal if the Animal Control Center is notified with fourteen (14) working days of the date of adoption. The Sangamon County Department of Public Health can not be responsible for any expenses incurred by an owner of an animal adopted from the Animal Control Center after it has left the facility.

Redemption of animals brought to the Animal Control Center by the general public may be reclaimed by the owner after paying rabies inoculation fees, registration/tag fees, and boarding fees as they apply.

Redemption of animals brought to the Animal Control Center by the Animal Control Center's officers may be reclaimed by the owner upon payment of any Animal Control Center impoundment fees, any municipal impoundment fees, rabies inoculation fees, registration/tag fees and boarding fees as they apply.