Iowa § 162.10A - 162.10A Commercial establishments — standard of care.

§ 162.10A. 162.10A Commercial establishments — standard of care.

1. a. A commercial establishment shall provide for a standard of care that ensures that an animal in its possession or under its control is not lacking any of the following: (1) Adequate feed, adequate water, housing facilities, sanitary control, or grooming practices, if such lack causes adverse health or suffering. (2) Veterinary care. b. A commercial establishment, other than a research facility or pet shop, shall provide for the standard of care for dogs and cats in its possession or under its control, and a research facility or pet shop shall provide for the standard of care for vertebrate animals in its possession or under its control. 2. a. Except as provided in paragraph “b”, a commercial establishment shall comply with rules that the department adopts to implement subsection 1. A commercial establishment shall be regulated under this paragraph “a” unless the person is a permittee as provided in paragraph “b”. b. A permittee is not required to comply with rules that the department adopts to implement a standard of care as provided in subsection 1 for state licensees and registrants. The department may adopt rules regulating a standard of care for a permittee, so long as the rules are not more restrictive than required for a permittee under the Animal Welfare Act. However, the department may adopt prescriptive rules relating to the standard of care. Regardless of whether the department adopts such rules, a permittee meets the standard of care required in subsection 1 if it voluntarily complies with rules applicable to state licensees or registrants. A finding by the United States department of agriculture that a permittee complies with the Animal Welfare Act is not conclusive when determining that the permittee provides a standard of care required in subsection 1. 3. A commercial establishment fails to provide for a standard of care as provided in subsection 1 if the commercial establishment commits abuse as described in section 717B.2, neglect as described in section 717B.3, or torture as provided in section 717B.3A. 2010 Acts, ch 1030, §15, 29; 2024 Acts, ch 1177, §19 Referred to in §162.10C, 162.11, 162.12A, 162.13, 717B.2, 717B.3, 717B.3A Thu Dec 11 18:40:52 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Section 162.10A (21, 0)