Des Moines, Iowa — The Iowa House has voted to prohibit cities and counties from having ordinances that ban certain breeds of dogs, like pit bulls.
Representative Jacob Bossman, a Republican from Sioux City, says the bill will hopefully turn the focus to responsible dog ownership.
The American Veterinary Medical Association says breed specific bans can give communities a false sense of security. The group says any dog can become aggressive and bite if they are unsupervised or not trained in how to interact with other dogs and humans.
Bossman is from Sioux City, where an ordinance banned pit bulls from city limits for 11 years. The ordinance was repealed in 2019.
The bill passed the House on an 82-to-16 vote.
One opponent said it dilutes the authority of local officials to respond to local concerns. Many Iowa cities have ordinances that either ban certain breeds of dogs or label specific breeds as dangerous or vicious.
