Iowa City, IA Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)

Section 8-4-7(D)(2) of the Iowa City Code pairs the dangerous animal sterilization mandate with a microchip requirement. Within five calendar days of a final dangerous animal determination, whether made by the City Manager or designee after an administrative hearing, by a district court, or by an equivalent finding from another jurisdiction, the owner must have the animal implanted with a microchip by a trained microchip technician at the owner's own expense. The owner then has 24 hours from completion of the implant to give the animal shelter written verification and the microchip number itself.

The same subsection also requires a permanent, City-issued identification tag on the animal's collar within five days, worn at all times. Outside the dangerous animal program, Iowa City's animal shelter uses microchipping more broadly at the back end of the impoundment process: section 8-4-8(C)(3) requires that any dog, cat, or ferret picked up by the shelter without traceable identification receive a permanent microchip implant before it can be redeemed by its owner. That rule applies regardless of whether the animal has ever been found dangerous, so a lost pet without a collar tag or chip that ends up in the shelter leaves with one.

The Chief of Police, through the Animal Care and Adoption Center, administers both programs and can adopt administrative rules under section 8-4-15 to carry them out, with copies kept at the shelter, the City Clerk's office, and posted on the City website.