Animal Care and Welfare Handbook
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has developed a tool that law enforcement agencies and county attorneys can reference to plan and execute timely, effective responses to animal welfare complaints. The animal welfare handbook outlines each agency’s regulatory authority and role in a coordinated response. It also provides species-specific, science-based standards of care to help responders objectively evaluate the health of domestic animals and production livestock.
Overview of the Animal Welfare Handbook
The animal welfare handbook was designed to support law enforcement agencies, county attorneys and animal control groups operating in Iowa.
- The first section of the handbook outlines each agency’s role and regulatory jurisdiction based on Iowa Code 717 and 717B.
- The second section emphasizes the importance of advanced planning, including building relationships with local response partners and researching temporary housing options, which leads to more positive outcomes.
- The third section outlines each animal species’ unique housing, nutrition and veterinary needs to help law enforcement objectively evaluate potential neglect and welfare concerns. It also includes step-by-step guidance to help county attorneys document the situation and build a strong animal neglect case.
Webinar
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship hosted a webinar at noon/CT on Wednesday, May 28, to provide an overview of the animal welfare handbook.