Iowa Administrative Code
Agency 21 - Agriculture and Land Stewardship Department
Chapter 67 - Animal Welfare
Rule 21-67.4 - General Care and Husbandry Standards

a. All species covered under Iowa Code chapter 162 shall be provided with adequate feed and adequate water.

b. Young animals and animals under veterinary care shall be fed and given water at more frequent intervals and with specific diets as their needs dictate.

c. Water must be provided as often as necessary for the health and comfort of the animal. The frequency of providing water should be appropriate to the species, age, condition, and size of the animal as well as the environmental conditions.

d. Water for dogs and cats must be made available at minimum two times daily for at least one hour each time.

e. The receptacles for food and water must be:

a. Housing facilities and primary enclosures shall be cleaned a minimum of once in each 24-hour period and more frequently as may be necessary to reduce disease hazards and odors. Dirt, hair, excreta (including but not limited to urine and feces), food waste, and other debris shall be removed from a primary enclosure daily or at a frequency to prevent their accumulation and the contamination of the animals contained within the primary enclosure.

b. Housing facilities and primary enclosures shall be sanitized at intervals not to exceed two weeks or sanitized more frequently as may be necessary to reduce disease hazards. Sanitizing shall be done by washing the surfaces with hot water and soap or detergent, followed by the application of a safe and effective disinfectant. Runs and exercise areas having gravel or other nonpermanent surface materials shall be sanitized by periodic removal of soiled materials, application of suitable disinfectants, and replacement of the soiled materials with clean surface materials. Dirt, hair, excreta, food waste, and other debris shall be removed before sanitizing begins. Manufacturer labels shall be followed for dilution and contact time for all soaps, detergents, disinfectants, or other chemicals used for sanitization.

c. An effective program shall be established and maintained for the control of vermin infestation.

d. Before a primary enclosure, food receptacle or water receptacle is used for another animal, the primary enclosure, food receptacle or water receptacle shall be cleaned and sanitized.

a. Programs of disease prevention and control shall be established in writing and maintained.

b. Sick, diseased or injured animals shall be provided with prompt veterinary care or disposed of by euthanasia. Euthanasia must be performed in a manner deemed acceptable by and published in the American Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines for Euthanasia of Animals: 2020 Edition.

c. All species regulated under Iowa Code chapter 162 that are infected with contagious diseases shall be immediately placed into isolation facilities as provided for in this paragraph to prevent exposure to healthy animals. Isolation facilities must be an area separate from the remainder of the animals in a facility with the ability to contain disease and to reduce the risk of disease spread. Animals in isolation must be cared for separately from the remainder of the animals in a facility. All equipment and supplies used for animals in an isolation facility must be cleaned and disinfected prior to removal from the isolation facility or discarded in a manner that prevents disease spread.

d. Dogs and cats within all commercial establishments must be vaccinated for rabies when age-appropriate unless exempted by Iowa Code section 351.42.

e. All dogs and cats taken into the care of a dealer, or transported into housing facilities regulated under Iowa Code chapter 162, excluding pounds and animal shelters, shall have been vaccinated against distemper, parvo and rabies, unless exempted by direct written recommendation of the owner's veterinarian or exempted by Iowa Code section 351.42 before entering the housing facility or being taken into the care of a dealer. Rabies titers shall not be accepted by a commercial establishment in lieu of a rabies vaccination.

f. Animal shelters and pounds must vaccinate dogs and cats in their care for rabies, distemper and parvo within a reasonable time of the dog or cat entering the animal shelter or pound. Animal shelters and pounds must also keep dogs and cats current on vaccinations for rabies, distemper and parvo.

g. Vaccine titers shall not be accepted as a form of vaccine verification. Vaccine records and written vaccine exemptions shall be kept on file. Acceptable forms of documentation for vaccine verification for admittance of a dog or cat into a commercial establishment, excluding animal shelters and pounds, include the following:

h. Dogs and cats brought into the state of Iowa must meet importation requirements under rule 21-65.10 (163).

i. Commercial establishments, excluding commercial kennels and boarding kennels, shall enter into a written agreement with a veterinarian licensed by the state of Iowa to provide veterinary care for the animals maintained in the facility. The agreement shall include a requirement that the veterinarian visit the facility at least once every 12 months for the purpose of viewing all the animals in the facility, making a general determination concerning the health/disease status of the animals, and reviewing the facility's program for disease prevention and control. If during the course of the visit the veterinarian identifies an animal that requires a more detailed individual examination to determine the specific condition of the animal or to determine an appropriate course of treatment, then such examination shall be undertaken.

j. Commercial kennels and boarding kennels must have a written agreement with a veterinarian licensed by the state of Iowa to provide veterinary care for an animal in their care should veterinary care be required.

k. If during an inspection of a facility the department finds an animal which appears to have a physical condition or disease that, in the opinion of the inspector, requires a veterinarian's attention, the department may order that the licensee subject the animal to a veterinarian's examination at the licensee's expense. The department may require the licensee to submit written proof of the veterinarian's examination and results of the examination within a time frame set by the department.

a. The owner or personnel shall be present at least once in each 24-hour period to supervise and ascertain that the care of animals and maintenance of facilities conform to all of the provisions of Iowa Code chapter 162.

b. A sufficient number of qualified personnel shall be utilized to provide the required care of animals and maintenance of facilities during normal business hours.