New Regulations for Animal and Pets

The City Council recently approved a revision of Title 6, Chapter 8 of the Code of the City of Muscatine related to animal regulations. Updates within Ordinance 2022-0046 (PDF) include:

1. Several definitions were updated or added including those for adequate food, adequate indoor shelter, adequate outdoor shelter, adequate sanitation, adequate space, adequate veterinary care, adequate water, commercial establishments, dangerous dog, domestic animal, irresponsible owner, owner, serious injury, tethering, unattended dog, and vicious dog.
2. The vaccination and identification section was modified to state, "...the collar with the attached tag shall be kept on such dog or cat at all times unless the dog or cat is microchipped with such information and is currently registered with the City of Muscatine.
3. The animal care section was modified to include statements on what a responsible owner is, a provision for outdoor confinement area, and regulations on tethering.
4. The conditions under which a dog may be declared dangerous or vicious were modified to include the process for determining the status (dangerous or vicious or neither) of a dog.
5. The requirements for keeping a dangerous or vicious dog were updated and include signage requirements for keeping a dangerous dog.
6. Penalties for an owner found irresponsible were identified and defined.
7. The process for and the right to appeal to the City Council the declaration of a dog to be dangerous or vicious was defined along with the process for seizure and disposition of a dog declared to be dangerous or vicious.