McHenry Times

The Carpentersville Village Board will debate the Pet Microchip Bill, HB 2824 and SB 1882, at its March 21 meeting.

The bill would take precedence over the village's puppy mill ban as well as adding loopholes to the Puppy Lemon Law, opponents said.

While the village board's debate will be held after the Illinois House Business and Occupational Licenses Committee hearing on the bill, Village Trustee Kevin Rehberg and state Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee) hope that the legislature will consider the village's opposition.

"These measures are a giant step in the wrong direction regarding consumer protection and animal welfare in Illinois," Rehberg said. "I have a number of concerns with this legislation. Passage of these bills would make it easier for puppy mills to sell dogs in Illinois. The bills are unenforceable and most concerning - they are meant to circumvent the consumer protections that we worked so hard to create for the residents of Carpentersville."

Skillicorn also expressed his concerns and opposition to the bill. He volunteers for a Doberman pinscher rescue group and supports adoption of shelter dogs.

"The village of Carpentersville passed an ordinance banning puppy mills," Skillicorn said. "The last thing we should allow are politicians in Springfield to try to preempt that ban. This pro-puppy mill bill does nothing to stop backyard breeders from selling to pet stores, nothing to rein abusive practices like financing puppies and nothing to encourage adoption of the pets already in our shelters. As a volunteer of a rescue organization, Illinois Doberman Rescue Plus, I urge people to 'Never Shop, Always Adopt!' "