The Jones County Supervisors finally passed the Employee Pet Policy and the Service Animal Policy at their meeting on September 17. They had put the matter on hold twice before that.
With the approval, emotional support animals will no longer be covered by the Service Animal Policy. This means that they will not be allowed in any county buildings.
The Pet Policy says that county workers can’t bring their own pets into county buildings.
Nancy Shaffer of Anamosa thanked the board for their work. Shaffer has been very active about the rules and how they don’t allow emotional support animals or dogs.
“I would like you to realize that ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) guidelines are law,” she stated. (The ADA says that service animals can be on county property.) “I hope that the county facilities, which are used by people with service dogs, would enforce that law and keep folks who come in with service dogs safe from fake service dogs.” Your workers should be aware of that, please. I’m afraid you’ve already passed this, but workers will just ignore it.
It would not help the groups that help people get support dogs and other animals that can help them. A huge amount of money is spent to help people become more independent. There are a lot of these fakes out there. You and your workers should help carry out what you passed. By doing so, you’ll also find out which ones are fakes and be able to ask them to leave.
“We’re going to follow the law,” said Supervisor Ned Rohwedder.
Sheriff Greg Graver told The Monticello Express what he thought about the rules after the board meeting. (Graver couldn’t make it to the board meeting because of a fire that morning.)
“I was an outspoken critic of the policy, as it creates more issues for county employees and visitors to county buildings than it addresses,” said Graver. “The sheriff of Jones County has his or her own office in the county government.”
I have the right and the privilege to make my own rules and policies for my workers and how my office runs every day, without anyone getting in the way. As sheriff of Jones County, I will not follow or accept the board’s policy for the whole county.
Graver then said that his office would be making its own Employee Pet Policy for his workers to follow when they have pets in the office.
“As the elected County Sheriff, I am committed to our office providing the best service to the public we serve,” said Graver more. “Therefore, I have directed Jones County Sheriff’s employees to NOT turn away anyone from the public who brings in a pet into the courthouse to seek Sheriff’s Office services.”
He said that someone with an animal would only be turned away if the animal was a “clear and present danger” to other people.
“Mere presence will not be considered ‘clear and present danger,'” said Graver. “Dangerous animals as defined in Iowa Code Section 717F and reptiles as defined in Iowa Code 481A.1 will not be permitted in Sheriff’s Office controlled spaces.”
Graver said that the board of supervisors’ approval will make things more difficult for people who want to visit the courthouse and other county buildings.
“Offices or county employees may chose to not allow pets in their offices and may refuse service to those violating the board’s policy,” he said. “I am asking the public to reman respectful to those offices and their employees, and to follow their directives.”