2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes › Chapter 510 - ANIMALS › 510 ILCS 75/ - Humane Slaughter of Livestock Act.

(510 ILCS 75/0.01) (from Ch. 8, par. 229.50)
Sec. 0.01. 
		Short title. 
		This Act may be cited as the
Humane Slaughter of Livestock Act.
(Source: P.A. 86-1324.)
(510 ILCS 75/1) (from Ch. 8, par. 229.51)
Sec. 1. 
		
		It is declared to be the policy of the State of Illinois that the
commercial slaughtering of all livestock, including the handling of
livestock in connection with commercial slaughtering, shall be carried out
only by humane methods.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 2023.)
(510 ILCS 75/2) (from Ch. 8, par. 229.52)
Sec. 2. As used in this Act:
(1) "Director" means the Director of the Department of Agriculture of
the State of Illinois.
(2) "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, or
association doing business in this State, in whole or in part.
(3) "Slaughterer" means any person regularly engaged in the commercial
slaughtering of livestock.
(4) "Livestock" means cattle, calves, sheep, swine, horses, mules,
goats, and any other animal which can or may be used in and for the
preparation of meat or meat products for consumption by human beings or
animals. "Livestock", however, does not include horses, mules, or other equidae to be used in and for the preparation of meat or meat products for consumption by human beings, which is prohibited under Section 1.5 of the Illinois Horse Meat Act.
(5) "Packer" means any person engaged in the business of slaughtering or
manufacturing or otherwise preparing meat or meat products for sale, either
by such person or others; or of manufacturing or preparing livestock
products for sale by such person or others.
(6) "Humane method" means either (a) a method whereby the animal is
rendered insensible to pain by gunshot or by mechanical, electrical,
chemical or other means that is rapid and effective, before being shackled,
hoisted, thrown, cast or cut; or (b) a method in accordance with ritual
requirements of the Jewish faith or any other religious faith whereby the
animal suffers loss of consciousness by anemia of the brain caused by the
simultaneous and instantaneous severance of the carotid arteries with a
sharp instrument.
(Source: P.A. 95-2, eff. 5-24-07.)
(510 ILCS 75/3) (from Ch. 8, par. 229.53)
Sec. 3. 
		
		No slaughterer or packer shall bleed or slaughter any livestock
except by a humane method. The following methods are in all instances
prohibited:
(a) Use of a manually operated hammer, sledge or pole-ax as a means of
slaughtering any animal or of rendering any animal unconscious in
preparation for slaughter.
(b) Shackling and hoisting or hanging any animal while such animal is
conscious, in the positioning of such animal for slaughter.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 2023.)
(510 ILCS 75/4) (from Ch. 8, par. 229.54)
Sec. 4. 
		
		In order to protect freedom of religion, paragraph (b) of Section
3 does not apply to calves and sheep and cattle where ritually acceptable
and practical methods are unavailable for positioning livestock for
purposes of slaughter in accordance with the requirements of any religious
faith.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 2023.)
(510 ILCS 75/5) (from Ch. 8, par. 229.55)
Sec. 5. 
		The Director shall administer this Act. 
		He shall promulgate and may
from time to time revise rules and regulations in connection with this Act.
The Director may, by administrative order, exempt from compliance with this
Act, for a period of not to exceed one year after the effective date of
this Act, any slaughterer if, in the judgment of the Director, earlier
compliance would cause undue hardship.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 2023.)
(510 ILCS 75/6) (from Ch. 8, par. 229.56)
Sec. 6. 
		
		
		Any violation of this Act or of the rules and regulations promulgated by
the Director is a petty offense.
(Source: P.A. 77-2684.)
(510 ILCS 75/7) (from Ch. 8, par. 229.57)
Sec. 7. 
		This Act shall take effect July 1, 1968.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 2023.)
(510 ILCS 75/8) (from Ch. 8, par. 229.58)
Sec. 8. 
		
		This Act is not applicable to a slaughterer or packer subject to
and in compliance with the Federal Humane Slaughter Act of 1958, 72 Stat.
862, and any amendments thereto and regulations thereunder.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 2023.)