Black Hawk County, IA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

010 defines a "private kennel" as any parcel on which four or more dogs are kept, even if they are only the owner's own pets and no breeding, grooming or boarding for others occurs. Once a property crosses that four-dog threshold, it is regulated as a kennel use rather than ordinary pet-keeping. 010(A)(16), but only if located at least 50 feet from all boundary lines of the property on which they sit; that setback exists specifically to buffer neighboring parcels from noise and odor. This rule governs only unincorporated land outside Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Evansdale, Hudson, La Porte City, Dunkerton, Gilbertville, Elk Run Heights and Raymond, each of which enforces its own separate pet ordinance inside city limits.

010(A)(3), which requires any exercising runway to sit at least 660 feet from a residential district, an incorporated boundary line, or any dwelling other than the site's owner or lessee.