Eight checks to finish before you pay for an Illinois protection dog

1. Read 510 ILCS 5/16Understand that an unprovoked injury is the owner's liability even without a prior incident.
2. Confirm local paperworkChicago wants registration; your village or county may want its own license.
3. Phone your insurerName the dog and get the coverage answer in writing.
4. Check housing limitsCondo boards and leases in Illinois often restrict size or breed.
5. Meet the dog twiceOnce at rest, once in a loud public spot such as a train platform or busy lot.
6. Watch it release on commandControl matters more than any show of aggression.
7. Read the contractIt should name the dog, the training done and what happens on a return.
8. Pay safelyDo not send a large deposit for a dog you have not met, and keep receipts.

If you do not know who works with protection dogs near you, the K9PN form is one way to get introduced. K9PN refers requests to professionals and you may compare as many as you like.

Pressure to pay today, a refusal to let you see the dog in person, a promise that it will never bite and vague answers about its trainer are all reasons to leave.