Illinois § 35-42

§ 35-42.

Canine handler authorization; training requirements. The Department shall, pursuant to rule, approve or disapprove training programs for the canine handler training course, which shall be taught by a qualified instructor. Qualifications for instructors shall be set by rule. The canine handler training course must be conducted by a licensee under this Act and approved by the Department. A canine handler course must consist of each of the following minimum requirements: (1) One hundred hours of basic training, which shall include the following subjects: (A) canine handling safety procedures; (B) basic veterinary health and wellness principles, including canine first aid; (C) principles of canine conditioning; (D) canine obedience techniques; (E) search patterns and techniques; and (F) legal guidelines affecting canine odor detection operations. (2) Eighty hours of additional training related to the particular canine discipline in which the canine and canine handler are to be trained, including without limitation patrol, narcotics odor detection, explosives odor detection, and cadaver odor detection. (3) An examination given at the completion of the course, which shall consist of a canine practical qualification course and a written examination. Successful completion of the examination shall be determined by the canine training facility. (Source: P.A. 95-613, eff. 9-11-07.)