Iowa Admin. Code r. 21-67.8

Current through Regsiter Vol. 46, No. 26, June 12, 2024

Rule 21-67.8 - Dog day cares

(1)Purpose. The purpose of a dog day care is to allow dogs participating in the day care to become socialized through interaction in playgroups with other compatible dogs.

(2)Subclassification of license. Dog day cares can operate as a subclassification of a commercial kennel license or boarding kennel license by complying with rule 21-67.8 (162).

(3)Approval based on number of dogs. The department will approve a dog day care for a maximum number of dogs based on, but not limited to, available space, available staff, and staff's ability to supervise dogs.

(4)Facility requirements. A facility licensed to be a dog day care shall meet the housing facility and primary enclosure requirements provided for in rule 21-67.3 (162). The dog day care shall also comply with the following facility requirements:

a. Group interaction is permitted for dogs, including dogs owned by different owners, that are compatible with one another. A facility licensed as a dog day care shall comply with all requirements in this rule during all hours of operation.

b. The play area for dogs shall provide for a minimum of 50 square feet per dog. Play areas must have a sign placed at the entry of the play area stating the maximum number of dogs allowed in the play area at any one time.

c. Each dog attending a dog day care must have a primary enclosure. When not under direct supervision, dogs at a dog day care must be housed within a primary enclosure at all times. Group housing within a primary enclosure is permitted for dogs from the same household that are compatible with one another.

(5)Sanitation requirements. A facility licensed to be a dog day care shall comply with the cleaning and sanitation standards provided for in rule 21-67.4 (162) and the following requirements:

a. All areas to which a dog has access shall be cleaned and sanitized a minimum of once in each 24-hour period and more frequently as may be necessary to reduce disease hazards and odors.

b. Used primary enclosures and food and water receptacles must be cleaned and sanitized before they can be used to house, feed or water another animal.

(6)Operations. A facility licensed to be a dog day care shall comply with the following operational standards:

a. A dog, including a dog owned by the dog day care owner or a dog day care employee, shall be admitted into a dog day care only after the day care has:

(1) Subjected the dog to a pre-entry screening process that adequately evaluates the temperament of the dog, the dog's ability to interact with other dogs in a positive manner, and the dog's ability to interact with humans in a positive manner. The screening shall include, but not be limited to, obtaining a social history of the dog from the dog's owner. A written record of the testing shall be maintained by the facility for the time the dog is enrolled in the day care. The day care shall not admit any dog into the day care if the dog has a predisposition to be possessive of either the facility or a person owning or working in the facility. The day care shall not admit any dog that is known to have a predisposition of aggression toward other dogs or people.

(2) Obtained from the dog's owner written documentation of the medical history of the dog, including the dog's current vaccination status against distemper, parvo and rabies, unless exempted by direct, written recommendation of the owner's veterinarian or exempted by Iowa Code section 351.42.

(3) Obtained written documentation that the dog has been spayed or neutered, if the dog is over six months of age.

(4) Obtained a written acknowledgment from the dog's owner that the owner understands the inherent risk of injury or disease when dogs owned by different people are allowed to commingle. This written acknowledgment shall be separately signed or initialed by the dog's owner.

b. The dog day care shall separate dogs in the dog day care into playgroups comprised of compatible dogs. Dogs of incompatible personalities or temperaments shall be maintained separately.

c. The dog day care shall make advance arrangements in writing with a veterinarian to provide emergency veterinary care for dogs at the dog day care. This agreement must be updated annually.

d. A sick, diseased or injured dog shall be immediately removed from the playgroup and isolated. If circumstances indicate that immediate veterinary care is required, the dog shall be taken to a veterinarian or a veterinarian shall be called to examine the dog. The veterinarian can be either a veterinarian whose services have been contracted for by the dog day care or the veterinarian designated by the dog's owner, if a timely examination by that veterinarian is feasible.

e. The feeding of a dog and giving of snacks to a dog shall only be provided when the dog receiving the food or snack is contained within a primary enclosure. Treats for the purpose of training or managing a group of dogs are permissible.

f. A dog day care shall not establish a playgroup composed of more than 30 dogs.

g. A dog day care shall employ sufficient staffing so that there is a minimum of one person assigned to each playgroup with 15 or fewer dogs and two people assigned to each playgroup with 16 to 30 dogs. The person(s) supervising a playgroup must provide direct and immediate visual supervision at all times.

h. At all times, a dog day care must ensure that dogs are safe within the dog day care group.

i. Rest time within a primary enclosure must be provided for a minimum of two hours per day. Direct supervision is not required while dogs are housed within primary enclosures.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 21-67.8

ARC 9456B, IAB 4/6/11, effective 3/18/11; ARC 9456B, lAB 4/6/11, effective 3/18/11; ARC 9670B, lAB 8/10/11, effective 9/14/11

Amended by IAB December 4, 2019/Volume XLII, Number 12, effective 1/8/2020

Amended by IAB June 16, 2021/Volume XLIII, Number 26, effective 7/21/2021