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Resident urges enforcement of Illinois Humane Care for Animals Act after multiple steer events in DeKalb County
Summary
A resident urged the county board to investigate repeated steer‑related events, enforce existing animal‑cruelty law and convene a committee to address alleged abuses and zoning gaps.
At the meeting’s public‑comment period, Steve Hendy of Elburn urged DeKalb County officials to enforce the Illinois Humane Care for Animals Act and to investigate a series of steer‑rodeo and steer‑abuse events held in the county.
Hendy said the Humane Care for Animals Act already bans mistreatment and requires veterinary care when animals need it. “Why pass new laws if you’re not gonna enforce the old ones?” he asked, and urged the board to direct law enforcement and the state’s attorney to prosecute alleged cruelty and to form a county committee to examine zoning and enforcement gaps.
He said three steer‑related events in just over a year had resulted in injured animals and little apparent penalty for abusers. Hendy called on the sheriff and county leadership to act and to ensure animals receive veterinary care, noting a two‑year statute of limitations for animal cruelty prosecutions under state law.
Board members did not take formal action at the meeting on his request; Hendy’s remarks were recorded as public comment.
