Campton Hills users to pay for service

Campton Hills officials hope to recoup animal control costs with a new law that requires the people who use the service to pay for it.

Village trustees this week set fees ranging from $15 to $150 for services provided to animals boarded and cared for at Kane County's shelter.

Village President Patsy Smith said Wednesday that while the ordinance doesn't protect the village from costs accrued when animals are unclaimed, it does guarantee some level of fairness for law-abiding taxpayers.

"I don't think people should have to pay for my dog that gets loose, and I think most people would agree," she said.

Users face initial fees of $75 or $150, respectively, when an animal is picked up. Additional boarding charges are $17.50 a day for neutered animals, and $35 a day for non-neutered animals.

There also is a $125 boarding and euthanasia fee for unclaimed animals; a $75 fee for animals that must be transported after being picked up; and a $15 fee for animals that must receive identification microchips.

Users can get up to 60 percent of the expense back if an animal is neutered within 45 days of being reclaimed, according to the ordinance.

Animals can be taken into custody for a variety of reasons, including when they pose a public danger, are running loose or, in the case of dogs, barking excessively.

As of Wednesday, Smith said the village had received a bill for one animal.