Oakland Acres onboard with Jasper County animal control

Every municipality in Jasper County — except Newton — is utilizing the county’s animal control services, which has a designated officer responding to calls regarding lost dogs or sick or injured cats. The City of Newton handles its own animal control through the police department.

However, every city in Jasper County is transporting its lost pets to Parkview Animal Hospital in Newton, which has dedicated kennels for retrieved animals. Oftentimes the veterinary clinic posts updates on its Facebook page when pets are found. After seven days, remaining pets are transported to rescue league.

Currently, unreclaimed pets found in Newton and Jasper County are sent to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. Dogs receive in-house care while at Parkview.

Initially, Oakland Acres had not reached an agreement with Jasper County over its contractual animal control services a few months ago. On Tuesday, June 26, the county and Oakland Acres apparently reached an agreement, resulting in the board of supervisors approving the town’s inclusion on the 28E agreement.

The following cities have signed the 28E agreement with Jasper County:

Baxter, Colfax, Kellogg, Lambs Grove, Lynnville, Mingo, Monroe, Oakland Acres, Prairie City, Reasnor, Sully and Valeria.

The Jasper County Board of Supervisors voted 2-0 to approve the 28E agreement between the county and Oakland Acres.

JASPER COUNTY’S ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCE

According to Ordinance #66 (Animal Control), animals can be impounded by a county agent or law enforcement officer at their discretion if the animal poses a safety threat to the community. Animals claimed by an owner must be shown to be current on their rabies vaccination before they are released.

No animal may leave Parkview Animal Hospital without a rabies certificate.

If an animal is known to be potentially dangerous, dangerous, vicious or having a contagious disease may not be admitted into custody. Those animals that remain unclaimed after seven days will be given distemper, Bordetella and rabies vaccinations according to their age and health. Owners are liable for costs.

Animals deemed to be not adoptable due to health or temperament by a licensed veterinarian will be humanely euthanized.

The ordinance also explains the responsibilities owners of pets must abide by. For instance, it is unlawful for an owner of any animal to permit the anima to pass on another person’s premises and cause damage or interfere. It is also unlawful to have the animal cause serious noise or disorder.

This includes habitual howling, yelping or barking; or chasing persons, bicycles, automobiles or other vehicles; or in any way posing a public hazard, a public nuisance or a disturbance. It is the owner’s responsibility to report bites or attacks to a local health or law enforcement official.

Potentially dangerous dogs shall at all times be kept confined within a home or in a secured proper enclosure, the ordinance states. The enclosure must also be locked with key or combination lock to prevent the entry of children. When off the premises, the dog must be kept on a substantial leash no more than six feet long.

If the dog improves its behavior after three years, it may be removed from the list of potentially dangerous dogs.

Jasper County reserves the right to euthanize any animal not under observation for rabies or under rabies quarantine “for which no reasonable veterinary care would prove to be practical to sustain said animal” or when it is afflicted with a contagious disease which would endanger the welfare of other animals.

Or when a dog is declared vicious by the county.

Dangerous or vicious dogs may not be sheltered — even temporarily — under the county’s animal control ordinance. No dog declared as vicious is allowed to be taken out of or brought into Jasper County. If an agent of the county has reasonable suspicions a dog is vicious or dangerous, it shall be investigated.

If a hearing is to be conducted to declare the animal vicious or dangerous, owners must be notified by the county. Owners can present evidence why the dog or dangerous animal shall not be declared a hazard. The hearing must be held no less than five days or more than 10 days after notifying owners.

These hearings are information and shall be open to the public. A three-person committee handles the hearings. One representative is from the sheriff’s office, one a licensed veterinarian and one a Jasper County resident. Owners will be notified of the hearing’s determination in writing.

They can also contest determinations by bringing a petition to the district court with the judicial district wherein the dog or dangerous animal is kept. The court can then conduct its own investigation and make its determination as to whether the anima or vicious or a hazard. The court’s determination is final.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com