On Monday, February 23, 2026, Representative Blaine Watkins (R-Donnellson) of House District 100 successfully floor managed his first piece of legislation through the Iowa House.
House File 2521 amends code to require an animal shelter volunteer or employee to accept a dog or cat in order for it not to be considered abandonment. If an animal is dropped off outside a shelter without any contact with someone from the shelter, that animal is considered abandoned, and county attorneys could prosecute the individual who abandoned the animal.
“This bill ensures that when someone surrenders a cat or dog an employee or volunteer must accept the animal,” Watkins said. “This provides a clear safeguard against animal abandonment.”
HF 2521 passed bipartisanly through the Iowa House with a vote of 89-0.