Draft chapter 55: Animal Protection and Control
§ 55.04 Abandonment Of Cats And Dogs
The 2026 draft's § 55.04 beside the current code's § 55.04: 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 (36% same words)
Notable changes
- New requirement: …not abandon the cat or dog, except the
person may deliverTNR protocol shall not constitute abandonment. This section does not apply to any of the cat or dog to another person who…
What changed
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 717B.8)
1. The delivery of a cat or dog to another person who will accept ownership and custody of the cat or
2. The delivery of a cat or dog to an animal shelter or
3. A person who relinquishes custody of a cat at a location in which the person does not
(Code
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
§ 55.04 Abandonment Of Cats And Dogs
A person who has ownership or custody of a cat or dog shall not abandon the cat or dog, except the person may deliver the cat or dog to another person who will accept ownership and custody or the person may deliver the cat or dog to an animal shelter or pound. Returned as pertains to the TNR protocol shall not constitute abandonment.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 717B.8)
2026 draft
§ 55.04 Abandonment Of Cats And Dogs
It is unlawful for a person who owns or has custody of a cat or dog to relinquish all rights in and duties to care for the cat or dog. Returned as pertains to the TNR protocol shall not constitute abandonment. This section does not apply to any of the following:
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 717B.8)
1. The delivery of a cat or dog to another person who will accept ownership and custody of the cat or dog.
2. The delivery of a cat or dog to an animal shelter or that has been issued or renewed a valid authorization by the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship under Chapter 162 of the Code of Iowa.
3. A person who relinquishes custody of a cat at a location in which the person does not hold a legal or equitable interest, if previously the person had taken custody of the cat at the same location and provided for the cat’s sterilization by a veterinarian.
Back to draft chapter 55 · All changes
Data last updated October 22, 2026. Built from the archive's documents; see how the data is built.