HomeMy WebLinkAboutA021 - October 28, 2025, Regular Meeting of the Ames City CouncilITEM #:24
DATE:10-28-25
DEPT:POLICE
SUBJECT:ESTABLISHING A NEW ANNUAL PET LICENSING PROGRAM
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
BACKGROUND:
During the presentation of the proposed FY 2025/26 Police budget in February 2025, staff
mentioned to the City Council the prospect of exploring a Pet Licensing Program (PLP). Staff
provided a memo to the City Council containing further details regarding the concept, and at
the April 22 City Council meeting, Council referred the memo to a future agenda for
discussion. At the May 27, 2025 meeting of the City Council, Council directed staff to draft an
ordinance for a PLP.
The City of Ames does not currently have a PLP. Many other Iowa communities utilize a
licensing program, as evidenced in the attached list. Out of the 15 largest cities in Iowa by
population, only two cities do not have a PLP, including Ames. Of the three university
communities in Iowa, Ames is the only city that does not have a PLP. Most cities that
have a PLP do not provide the level of animal care, sheltering, and control (field services)
provided in Ames.
PLPs provide benefits for pets, owners, and those in the community who may encounter at-
large animals, and the operation of the City’s Animal Control Program. These benefits include:
1. A license identifies a dog or cat and allows the owner to be quickly reunited with them in
case the pet becomes lost. A license can be traced 24 hours a day at any point in the
year by the Ames Police Department. In contrast, rabies tags on animals with no other
identification can only be traced through the issuing veterinary clinic, and only when the
clinic is open. Animals lost after hours and on weekends are delayed in reunification with
their owners.
2. Licensed pets are held longer before being placed up for adoption at the shelter to give
them an increased chance to be reunited with their owners.
3. A license ensures that dogs/cats must be are vaccinated against rabies, a fatal disease.
Rabies is a current threat to human and animal health, and State law requires that dogs
be vaccinated against rabies.
4. Owners of licensed pets receive a helpful reminder to re-vaccinate their pet prior to the
rabies vaccine expiration date.
5. During the license process, staff can ensure that those pets that have microchips will
have information that is up to date in the City's database. Staff will continue to partner
with other entities to provide low-cost and sometimes no cost, microchip clinics.
Microchips are a low-cost, effective tool for increasing the likelihood that a lost pet can
be reunited with their owner. Quick identification of a pet also helps reduce the time an
animal may stay in the shelter before disposition, thereby reducing operating expenses
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at the facility.
6. License fees will help support the Ames Animal Shelter and Animal Control services
such as maintaining high-level standards of care, reuniting lost pets with their owners,
finding new homes for unwanted animals regardless of how long it takes, responding to
reported animal neglect/cruelty/hoarding concerns, animal nuisance calls, limited wildlife
response, emergency animal housing, dangerous domestic animals, or other violations
of the Ames Municipal Code.
These services are currently funded primarily through property taxes. Revenues from
license fees could shift more of the pet-related enforcement expenses to pet owners,
rather than spreading these costs to all property taxpayers, especially as a new shelter
is opened to the public.
According to calculations from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), Ames
has approximately 24,633 households. There are approximately 16,182 dogs living in 11,084
households and 11,399 cats living in 6,404 households. It is estimated that approximately 70%
of all pets in our community are spayed/neutered (19,306) and the others are not
spayed/neutered (8,275).
On average, approximately 500 cats and dogs are adopted or reclaimed by their owners from
the Animal Shelter annually. Additionally, there are over 700 active registrations for the use of
the Dog Park. Staff’s existing computerized records system used to manage these
adoptions/reclaims would also be used to manage the PLP registrations. In the future, the
system could also be used to manage Dog Park tags.
The intent of staff is to encourage voluntary compliance and work with individuals to
ensure their pets are licensed. Ames Municipal Code 3.501 provides for a municipal
infraction for violations; the citation is currently $50 for a first offense and $100 for
second offense, plus court costs of $95. However, staff's approach with the PLP would
be only to issue a municipal infraction citation as last resort as the cost to license a pet
is far less than the civil penalty for non-compliance.
It should be noted that, as with the Public Nuisances Code, City staff will not be
proactively enforcing the PLP through strategies such as going door to door or other
surveys. However, based on a complaint or other activity where staff observes an
unlicensed dog or cat, they would ensure compliance.
Staff will incorporate the licensure requirement (and associated fee) into all adoptions
from the shelter and require owners of unlicensed animals whose pet is in the shelter ’s
custody to obtain a license prior to the animal being released to the owner. In addition,
staff will transport a lost pet with appropriate license back to their owner (inside the city
limits) one time at no charge as an added benefit of the license program.
As previously presented to the City Council, staff is proposing that the pet license fees
for unaltered pets be $24 per year, and for altered (spayed/neutered) pets, $12 per year.
There will also be a $10 fee for replacement tags in the event of lost, damaged, or
destroyed tags. These fees will be set by resolution after passage of the third reading of the
ordinance.
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Based on the estimated animal population data described above, the proposed fees have the
potential to generate up to $430,272 of annual revenue. However, as there is no intent to
proactively enforce the PLP, actual revenue is likely to be much lower.
The approximate costs to begin the PLP are as follows:
Initial Startup Fee (one-time)$ 11,000
Annual Service Fee $ 3,840
Pet License Tags (initial order of 10,000)$ 3,420
Total Cost for Year One $ 18,260
These costs do not include any staff time involved with setting up and managing the
PLP. The startup costs will be funded through the donation account and in the future
the costs will come from the revenue from the PLP. The software program for the PLP
may also be used for dog park permits, which should simplify that process as well.
Should the City Council support the implementation of a PLP, it is recommended that it
not take effect until July 1, 2026.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve on first reading of the attached ordinance establishing a new Pet Licensing
Program as described above to take effect on July 1, 2026.
The delay in implementing the new licensing program will allow time for the staff
to adequately inform our residents of the new licensing requirement.
2. Direct staff to bring the proposed ordinance back to the City Council on December 16,
2025 for final decision regarding the proposed program, and in the meantime ask staff to
implement a public information campaign to inform our residents of the new proposed
Pet Licensing Program that is under consideration and feedback.
This alternative will allow time for our residents to provide feedback regarding the
proposed Pet Licensing Program before action is taken by the City Council.
3. Direct staff to modify the proposed ordinance and bring back to the December 16, 2025
meeting for City Council consideration.
4. Do not proceed with implementing a Pet Licensing Program at this time.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Pet Licensing Programs are common in other communities. These programs offer the
following benefits: 1) the ability to more quickly reunite pets and their owners, 2)
ensures better compliance with necessary vaccinations, 3) promotes responsible pet
ownership, 4) achieves logging of existing microchipping to identify animal owners
quickly, and offers financial resources to support for the Ames Animal Shelter and
Animal Control services.
Because this is a new program being proposed, it is advisable not to implement this pet
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licensing program without first obtaining feedback from our residents. Therefore, it is
the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council approve Alternative #2 and
thereby direct staff to bring the proposed ordinance back to the City Council on December 16,
2025, for a final decision regarding the proposed program scheduled for implementation on
July 1, 2026. In the meantime, ask staff to implement a public information campaign to inform
our residents of the new Pet Licensing Program that is under consideration and seek their
feedback.
ATTACHMENT(S):
COMPARISON OF PET LICENSING FEES IN IOWA.docx
DRAFT Ordinance for Pet Licensing Program.pdf
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COMPARISON OF PET LICENSING FEES IN IOWA
CITY ANNUAL FEES - CATS ANNUAL FEES - DOGS PENALTY
ALTERED UNALTERED ALTERED UNALTERED FEE
Adel $10.00 $20.00 $10.00 $20.00
Altoona $15.00 $20.00 $10.00
Ankeny $15.00 $25.00 $15.00 $25.00
Aurelia $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $1.00
Belle Plaine $7.50 $15.00 $7.50 $15.00
Bettendorf $3.00 $25.00 $20.00
Breda $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.00
Carter Lake $10.00 $15.00 $10.00 $15.00 $5.00
Cedar Falls $6.00 $12.00 $6.00 $12.00
Cedar Rapids $6.00 $12.00 $6.00 $12.00
Centerville $7.50 $7.50 $7.50 $7.50 $15.00
Clinton $15.00 $20.00 $15.00 $20.00
Clive $17.00 $24.00 $19.00 $29.00 $10.00
Coralville $5.00 $30.00 $5.00 $30.00
Corydon $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.00
Council Bluffs $10.00 $22.00 $14.00 $30.00 $15.00
Crescent $7.00 $18.00 $15.00 $30.00 $10.00
Dallas Center $5.00 $20.00 $5.00 $20.00
Davenport $10.00 $30.00 $10.00 $30.00
Delhi $8.00 $8.00 $8.00 $8.00
Denison $10.00 $20.00 $10.00 $20.00
Des Moines $15.00 $35.00 $15.00 $35.00 $50.00
Desoto $5.00 $15.00 $5.00 $15.00
DeWitt $10.00 $30.00 $10.00 $30.00 $10.00
Dubuque $14.00 $34.00 $14.00 $34.00 $16.00
Dyersville $3.00 $3.00
Elkhart $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $2.00
Evansdale $5.00 $15.00 $5.00 $15.00 $5.00
Fairfield $10.00 $50.00
Farley $5.00 $5.00
Fort Dodge $5.00 $10.00 $5.00 $10.00 $20.00
Fort Madison $10.00 $20.00 $10.00 $20.00 $10.00
Grandview $5.00 $25.00 $5.00 $25.00
Grimes $15.00 $25.00 $15.00 $25.00
Grinnell $10.00 $12.00 $10.00 $12.00
Hampton $5.00 $8.00
Harlan $5.00 $5.00 $10.00
Iowa City $10.00 $40.00 $10.00 $40.00
Iowa Falls $20.00 $20.00 $25.00
Jefferson $5.00 $10.00 $5.00 $10.00 $1.00
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CITY ANNUAL FEES - CATS ANNUAL FEES - DOGS PENALTY
FEE ALTERED UNALTERED ALTERED UNALTERED
Johnston $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00
LeMars $10.00 $10.00
Logan $5.00 $10.00 $5.00 $10.00
Macedonia $10.00 $15.00 $25.00 $1.00
Marengo $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.00
Mason City $10.00 $50.00 $10.00 $50.00
Moravia $5.00 $5.00 $1.00
Mount Vernon $10.00 $10.00 $200.00
Muscatine $5.00 $25.00 $5.00 $25.00
Nevada $5.00 $10.00 $5.00 $10.00
Newton $15.00 $25.00 $15.00 $25.00
North Liberty $25.00 $25.00 $25.00 $25.00
Norwalk $10.00 $20.00 $10.00
Ottumwa $10.00 $20.00 $10.00 $20.00
Perry $5.00 $20.00 $5.00 $20.00
Pleasant Hill $5.00 $10.00 $5.00 $10.00 $2.50
Red Oak $5.00 $25.00 $5.00 $25.00 $10.00
Sergeant Bluff $10.00 $10.00
Sioux City $15.00 $50.00 $15.00 $50.00
Solon $2.00 $10.00 $2.00 $10.00
Storm Lake $10.00 $20.00
Tabor $5.00 $10.00 $5.00 $10.00
Tiffin $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00
Urbandale $17.00 $27.00 $19.00 $29.00 $25.00
Walnut $8.00 $22.00 $10.00
Waterloo $5.00 $25.00 $5.00 $25.00
Waukee $15.00 $25.00 $15.00 $25.00 $100.00
Waverly $10.00 $20.00 $10.00 $20.00 $5.00
West Branch $5.00 $20.00 $5.00 $20.00
West Des Moines $17.00 $24.00 $19.00 $29.00 $25.00
Winfield $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.00
Average $8.91 $19.10 $9.17 $18.88 $21.53
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ORDINANCE NO. ___________
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF
THE CITY OF AMES, IOWA, BY AMENDING SECTION
3.107 AND ENACTING A NEW DIVISION VIII, THEREOF,
FOR THE PURPOSE OF SETTING REQUIREMENTS FOR
RABIES VACCINATION NOTICES AND ESTABLISHING
PET LICENSING; REPEALING ANY AND ALL
ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN
CONFLICT TO THE EXTENT OF SUCH CONFLICT;
PROVIDING A PENALTY; AND ESTABLISHING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ENACTED, by the City Council for the City of Ames, Iowa, that:
Section One. The Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa shall be and the
same is hereby amended by amending Section 3.107 and enacting a new Division VIII
as follows:
“Sec. 3.107. RABIES VACCINATION.
(1) Every owner of a dog, cat or horse shall obtain a rabies vaccination for
each animal between three (3) and four (4) months of age and at such intervals
thereafter as stipulated by the manufacturers of the vaccines used. This section
applies to all dogs, cats and horses kept within the city, brought into the city for shows,
exhibitions or performance, or in transit. This section does not apply to dogs, cats and
horses in transit that are continuously held in secure cages and dogs, cats and horses
assigned to research, production of biologics, and licensed animal care shelters or
similar facilities.
(2) Rabies Vaccination Expiration Notices for Dog and Cat Owners
(a) The City will email rabies vaccination expiration notices to the
email address provided by the owner on their most recent license application. This
notice will be sent at least thirty (30) days prior to the rabies vaccination expiration
date.
(b) A second notice will be emailed if proof of an updated rabies
vaccination is not provided within fifteen (15) days of the rabies vaccination expiration
date.
(c) A final notice will be emailed if proof of an updated rabies
vaccination is not provided within seven (7) days prior to the rabies vaccination
expiration date.
(d) Pet owners must provide proof of an updated rabies vaccination
for their animal(s) prior to the rabies vaccination expiration date regardless of receipt of
a rabies vaccination expiration notice.
* * *
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DIVISION VIII
PET LICENSING
Sec. 3.801. PET LICENSING REQUIREMENTS AND EXEMPTIONS.
(1) No person may own, keep, or harbor any dog or cat four (4) months of age
or over within the City of Ames unless such animal is vaccinated for rabies and
licensed.
(2) The requirements for licensing dogs and cats do not apply in the following
circumstances:
(a) The animal is in transit through the City only.
(b) The first thirty (30) calendar days of residency in the City by the
owner, or the first thirty (30) calendar days the owner has owned the animal.
(c) The animal has been temporarily housed in a veterinary hospital,
an animal grooming shop, an established licensed kennel, or an accredited institution
for research.
(3) Vaccination Requirements
(a) A person owning, keeping, or harboring a dog or cat which is four
(4) months of age or over must obtain a rabies vaccination for the animal by a licensed
veterinarian. It is unlawful for any owner to have a dog or cat within the City which is
four (4) months of age or over, which has not been vaccinated against rabies.
(b) The City will not issue a dog or cat license unless a certificate is
filed showing that the dog or cat to be licensed is vaccinated, including vaccination date
and expiration date, rabies tag number, animal description including color, age, breed,
sex, and spay/neuter status if applicable.
(4) The City of Ames may accept payment for the license fee for a dog or cat
that has not been vaccinated against rabies. The City of Ames will not issue the license
tag and/or license until proof of current rabies vaccination is received.
Sec. 3.802. LICENSE TAGS/REPLACEMENT/REMOVING TAGS.
(1) The license tag is a permanent tag for the life of the animal.
(2) It is unlawful for any person who is not the owner of the animal, the agent
of such owner, or an employee of the City or its agent acting in an official capacity, to
remove a license tag from an animal.
(3) The owner or keeper of a dog or cat, upon procurement of the license,
must securely attach the license tag to a collar or harness. This collar or harness, with
the tag attached, must be kept on the dog or cat for which the license was issued at all
times. The license tag attached to the collar or harness must be the tag issued by the
City for that animal.
(4) The owner of an animal whose license tag becomes destroyed or lost may
obtain another tag upon payment of the required license replacement fee, which will be
established by resolution of the Council.
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Sec. 3.803. TRANSFER OF LICENSE/CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP.
(1) A license tag that is issued for one animal is not transferable to another
animal.
(2) When the ownership of an animal is transferred, the new owner must,
within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of change of ownership, apply for a new
pet license as provided in this section, regardless of whether the animal was previously
licensed, and pay all applicable fees.
Sec. 3.804. LICENSE EXPIRATION DATES.
All licenses expire one year from the date of issuance, except in cases where
licenses are issued for two (2) or three (3) years. In those cases, licenses will expire two
(2) or three (3) years from the date of issuance. License fees are nonrefundable.
Sec. 3.805. LICENSE RENEWAL NOTICES.
(1) The City will email license renewal notices to the email address provided
by the owner on their most recent license application. This renewal notice will be sent at
least thirty (30) days prior to the license expiration date.
(2) Second notices will be emailed for licenses not renewed within fifteen (15)
days of the license expiration date.
(3) A final notice will be emailed for licenses not renewed within seven (7)
days prior to the license expiration date.
(4) Pet owners are responsible for renewing the license for their animal(s)
prior to the license expiration date regardless of receipt of a license expiration notice.
Sec. 3.806. LICENSE FEES.
The annual license fee for each dog or cat subject to licensing under the
provisions of this chapter will be determined in accordance with an established fee
schedule, which fee schedule may be modified by resolution of the Council.”
Section Two. Violation of the provisions of this ordinance constitutes a municipal
infraction punishable as set out by law.
Section Three. All ordinances, or parts of ordinances, in conflict herewith are
hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict, if any.
Section Four. This ordinance will be in full force and effect from July 1, 2026,
after its passage and publication as required by law.
Passed this day of , 2025.
_____________________________ ________________________________
John A. Haila, Mayor
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First Reading:
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
Passed on:
I, Renee Hall, City Clerk of the City of Ames, Iowa, hereby certify that the above
and foregoing is a true copy of Ordinance No. ______________, passed by the City
Council of said City at the meeting held on ______________________and signed by
the Mayor on ___________________________, and published in the Ames Tribune on
___________________________.
_____________________________________
Renee Hall, City Clerk
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