(Iowa Capital Dispatch) The Iowa House advanced legislation Thursday that would provide greater oversight of pet breeders in the state, expand dog ownership documentation and specify how the state can issue water use permits.
House File 2674 updates state law pertaining to commercial animal breeders, commercial kennels, pet shops and related businesses in Iowa to increase state oversight of these operations.
Rep. Samantha Fett, R-Carlisle, said the bill would “strengthen oversight and modernize the definitions and enforcement tools” pertaining to the care of animals in commercial settings.
Commercial establishments with nonagricultural animals, like dogs and cats, are regulated by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
The bill would prohibit commercial establishments from doing business in Iowa under authorization that was “issued or renewed” by another state.
HF 2674 would also require IDALS to establish “inspection tiers” based on the level of risk of a commercial facility violating standard care requirements. The bill stipulates that IDALS would not be prohibited from conducting unscheduled inspections and it would require the department to conduct an inspection with 24 hours after determining “credible evidence” existed that the establishment had violated a standard of care, like adequate food, water, housing or sanitary control.
The bill specifies that IDALS staff could enter the premises if a U.S. Department of Agriculture report indicates that a standard of care is not being met. IDALS could additionally suspend or revoke an establishment’s authorization, or enforce a civil penalty, if an establishment refuses to allow the department to conduct an inspection.
Fett said the bill allows the state to “act quickly when animals may be at risk.”
“It reduces unnecessary regulatory burdens while allowing the department to focus its time and resources on what is needed most,” Fett said. “These changes create clear standards, more efficient oversight and a flexible framework that frees up resources to ensure that when violations occur, we can take care of that.”
Fett said the bill was crafted with “stakeholders at the table.” HF 2674 was supported by the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association and Des Moines Kennel Club, though Animal Rescue League Iowa registered against the bill.
Iowa regularly ranks toward the top of the list of states with the highest number of dog breeder violations.
Rep. David Jacoby, D-Coralville, said the bill would “finally move Iowa forward” and off the top of “puppy mill” lists.
The bill passed with a vote of 88-3. Republican Reps. Chad Ingels, Norlin Mommsen and Charley Thomson voted against the measure.
Dog identification
The House passed another dog-related bill Thursday, this one also led by Fett.
House File 2190 adds tattoos, microchips, receipts, contracts and ongoing veterinarian bills as valid methods to prove ownership of a dog.
Fett said current law only accepts a rabies tag as proof of ownership, which “no longer reflects reality and has contributed to a growing number of disputes across the state.”
The bill would also require shelters to scan for microchips and keep records of the results.
“This is about protecting ownership, reducing confusion, and giving every possible opportunity to reunite pets with their families,” Fett said.
The bill passed with a vote of 90-1, with Thomson opposing the measure.
Water use permits
House File 2642 specifies that water use permits cannot be granted based on beneficial use categories and clarifies rules for the disposal of wastewater at distillery sites.
An early version of the bill received conflicting support from environmental groups and utilities. Environmental groups have called for changes to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ process for approving water use permits, in particular the department’s use of a list of prioritized beneficial uses.
Rep. Cindy Golding, R-Cedar Rapids, introduced an amendment to rewrite the bill, which was adopted by the House, with more concise language.
Regarding beneficial use permits, the amendment states the “determination of beneficial use shall not be based on categories of uses.”
“We need to recognize that water is one of our natural resources that really needs to have the quantity evaluated as we do permits,” Golding said.
The rest of the language in the amendment pertains to wastewater disposal at distilleries. Golding said it fixes a problem with “uneven” or “conflicting” enforcement regarding the water byproduct of distilleries in the state.
The bill would ask DNR to set rules for distillery wastewater, including certain gallon limits for how the water may be disposed of.
Rep. Elinor Levin, D-Iowa City, was supportive of the amendment and the bill, which she said “reflects the kind of work” she wants to do in the Legislature.
“We had a problem identified, we took time to get to the right solution, and today we’re going to pass it and send it across to the Senate, where hopefully they will move it with the speed we usually move things, not their usual pace, and get it to the governor’s desk,” Levin said.
The bill advanced with a vote of 90-1, with Rep. Tom Determann, R-Clinton opposing.
