SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois lawmakers want to allow for abused cats and dogs to have legal representation in court.

Proposed legislation filed by State Rep. Allen Skillicorn, R-East Dundee, would have the Illinois Department of Natural Resources create a county-by-county database of legal professionals, from lawyers to paralegals to experts on animal abuse, willing to step in on a dog or cat’s behalf when a person is facing punishment for neglecting or abusing them.

The bill is limited to dogs and cats. The motion to appoint a special legal aid for the animal may be made by any party in the court.

In most legal situations, pets are classified as property. It’s illegal to shoot someone or something, for instance, because it’s attacking your pet.

The most common instance of animal abuse, Skillicorn said, is when animals are left out in the cold or extreme heat, inside a vehicle for instance.
The bill has bipartisan support.

Legislation passed last year in Congress makes animal cruelty a felony.