Draft chapter 55: Animal Protection and Control
§ 55.02 Animal Neglect
The 2026 draft's § 55.02 beside the current code's § 55.02: removed words are struck through, added words underlined.
Comparison with a draft: not adopted. The archive holds no public hearing, ordinance or vote adopting the recodified Code through the October 20, 2026 meeting packet. Until one is adopted, every page here compares the consolidated code with a draft that can still change: the revised draft with the October 6 changes is not in the archive.
A comparison with the August 2026 draft recodification prepared by Iowa Codification for the City. The draft has not been adopted and can still change; the current code (unofficial compilation) governs until a recodified Code is adopted. Matches between sections are made by machine from the texts and are reviewed where uncertain.
Wording changed largely rewritten (8% same words) match not yet reviewed: matched by catchline only; 8% of the words agree
Notable changes
- Permit, license or registration: …distress or suffering. (Code of Iowa, Sec. 717B.3) A. Access to food in an amount and quality reasonably sufficient to satisfy the animal’s basic nutrition level to the extent that the animal’s health or life is endangered. B. Access to a supply of potable water in an amount reasonably sufficient to satisfy the animal’s basic hydration level to the extent that the animal’s health or life is endangered. Access to snow or ice does not satisfy this r… …
What changed
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 717B.3)
A. Access to food in an amount and quality reasonably sufficient to satisfy the animal’s basic nutrition level to the extent that the animal’s health or life is endangered.
B. Access to a supply of potable water in an amount reasonably sufficient to satisfy the animal’s basic hydration level to the extent that the animal’s health or life is endangered. Access to snow or ice does not satisfy this requirement.
C. Sanitary conditions free from excessive animal waste or the overcrowding of animals to the extent that the animal’s health or life is endangered.
D. Ventilated shelter reasonably sufficient to provide adequate protection from the elements and weather conditions suitable for the age, species, and physical condition of the animal so as to maintain the animal in a state of good health to the extent that the animal’s health or life is endangered. The shelter must protect the animal from wind, rain, snow, or sun and have adequate bedding to provide reasonable protection against cold and dampness. A shelter may include a residence, garage, barn, shed, or doghouse.
E. Grooming, to the extent it is reasonably necessary to prevent adverse health effects or suffering.
F. Veterinary care deemed necessary by a reasonably prudent person to relieve an animal’s distress from any of the following:
(1) A condition caused by failing to provide for the animal’s welfare as described in this section.
(2) An injury or illness suffered by the animal causing the animal to suffer prolonged pain and suffering.
2. This section does not apply to any of the following:
A. A person operating a commercial establishment under a valid authorization issued or renewed under Section 162.2A of the Code of Iowa, or a person acting under the direction or supervision of that person, if all of the following apply:
(1) The animal, as described in Subsection 1, was maintained as part of the commercial establishment’s operation.
(2) In providing conditions for the welfare of the animal, as described in Subsection 1, the person complied with the standard of care requirements provided in Section 162.10A(1) of the Code of Iowa, including any applicable rules adopted by the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship applying to:
a. A State licensee or registrant operating pursuant to Sections 162.10A(2)(a) or (2)(b) of the Code of Iowa; or
b. A permittee operating pursuant to Section 162.10A(2)(c) of the Code of Iowa.
B. A research facility if the research facility has been issued or renewed a valid authorization by the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship pursuant to Chapter 162 of the Code of Iowa, and performs functions within the scope of accepted practices and disciplines associated with the research facility.
Word-level comparison of the current text with the draft's; spacing and paragraph breaks come from the documents' text. Footnotes are left out.
Current code
§ 55.02 Animal Neglect
It is unlawful for a person who impounds or confines, in any place, an animal, excluding livestock, to fail to supply the animal during confinement with a sufficient quantity of food or water, or to fail to provide a confined dog or cat with adequate shelter, or to torture, deprive of necessary sustenance, mutilate, beat, or kill such animal by any means which causes unjustified pain, distress or suffering.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 717B.3)
2026 draft
§ 55.02 Animal Neglect
1. It is unlawful for a person who owns or has custody of an animal and confines that animal to fail to provide the animal with any of the following conditions for the animal’s welfare:
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 717B.3)
A. Access to food in an amount and quality reasonably sufficient to satisfy the animal’s basic nutrition level to the extent that the animal’s health or life is endangered.
B. Access to a supply of potable water in an amount reasonably sufficient to satisfy the animal’s basic hydration level to the extent that the animal’s health or life is endangered. Access to snow or ice does not satisfy this requirement.
C. Sanitary conditions free from excessive animal waste or the overcrowding of animals to the extent that the animal’s health or life is endangered.
D. Ventilated shelter reasonably sufficient to provide adequate protection from the elements and weather conditions suitable for the age, species, and physical condition of the animal so as to maintain the animal in a state of good health to the extent that the animal’s health or life is endangered. The shelter must protect the animal from wind, rain, snow, or sun and have adequate bedding to provide reasonable protection against cold and dampness. A shelter may include a residence, garage, barn, shed, or doghouse.
E. Grooming, to the extent it is reasonably necessary to prevent adverse health effects or suffering.
F. Veterinary care deemed necessary by a reasonably prudent person to relieve an animal’s distress from any of the following:
(1) A condition caused by failing to provide for the animal’s welfare as described in this section.
(2) An injury or illness suffered by the animal causing the animal to suffer prolonged pain and suffering.
2. This section does not apply to any of the following:
A. A person operating a commercial establishment under a valid authorization issued or renewed under Section 162.2A of the Code of Iowa, or a person acting under the direction or supervision of that person, if all of the following apply:
(1) The animal, as described in Subsection 1, was maintained as part of the commercial establishment’s operation.
(2) In providing conditions for the welfare of the animal, as described in Subsection 1, the person complied with the standard of care requirements provided in Section 162.10A(1) of the Code of Iowa, including any applicable rules adopted by the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship applying to:
a. A State licensee or registrant operating pursuant to Sections 162.10A(2)(a) or (2)(b) of the Code of Iowa; or
b. A permittee operating pursuant to Section 162.10A(2)(c) of the Code of Iowa.
B. A research facility if the research facility has been issued or renewed a valid authorization by the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship pursuant to Chapter 162 of the Code of Iowa, and performs functions within the scope of accepted practices and disciplines associated with the research facility.
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Data last updated October 22, 2026. Built from the archive's documents; see how the data is built.