ILLINOIS (WAND) – Pets staying in kennels will be protected from fires after Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Tuesday.
Illinois now requires kennels to be staffed at every hour or have a fire alarm or sprinkler system that notifies responders. HB 3390 is a response to a kennel fire that happened in January 2019 in West Chicago, which claimed the lives of 31 dogs. According to a press release from Pritzker’s office, investigators said that building had operational smoke detectors, but nobody was likely there to hear them go off.
The law is in effect right now.
“This commonsense law will protect pets from senseless tragedies and further our state’s commitment to animal welfare,” said Pritzker. “We’re putting safety first and making sure the tragedy that West Chicago experienced in January will never happen again.”
Republican and Democratic lawmakers gave statements supporting the passage of the bill.
“HB 3390 is an effort to ensure our pets, who’re often times like family members, are being kept safe while they’re temporarily being cared for at a boarding facility,” said Sen. Don DeWitte (R-St. Charles). “The fire last January at a West Chicago kennel that killed 31 animals was heartbreaking. This new law gives pet owners peace of mind to know that their pet is in a safe environment even when staff isn’t on hand.”
Rep. Diane Pappas (D-Itasca) agreed.
“Today’s legislation is a win for dog and cat owners across Illinois, who can now rest assured that if they have to leave their beloved pets at a kennel, they will be protected in the event of a fire,” she said. “With this law, Illinois becomes the first state in the nation to extend these kennel fire protections to our furry family members.”
