The Iowa Public Information Board
In re the Matter of: Tamara Jabali, Complainant And Concerning: City of Sioux City Animal Control, Respondent |
Case Number: 26FC:0031 Investigative Report
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COMES NOW, Charissa Flege, Deputy Director for the Iowa Public Information Board (“IPIB”), and enters this Investigative Report:
On January 31, 2026, Tamara Jabali (“Complainant”) filed formal complaint 26FC:0031, alleging the City of Sioux City Animal Control (“Respondent”) violated Iowa Code Chapter 22.
The Iowa Public Information Board accepted this complaint at its meeting on February 19, 2026.
Facts
On December 23, 2025, Complainant emailed the Sioux City Attorney’s Office in regard to the seizure of her pet and its designation as ‘vicious’ by animal control. In her email, Complainant requested the city “Pause all proceedings, including forfeiture or euthanasia, until evidence and due process requirements are satisfied; Provide written notice of the alleged violation and the evidence relied upon; Provide information regarding deadlines and hearing rights; and Immediate release of my dog for removal from city limits, or prompt scheduling of a formal hearing.” The email did not include any other request for public records.
The assistant city attorney responded on December 30, 2025 detailing the specifics of the seizure of Complainant’s dog and why the dog was deemed ‘vicious’. The attorney attached a copy of the letter previously sent to Complainant on September 23, 2025 with her appeal rights related to the dog’s seizure, a copy of the agreement Complainant signed on September 23, 2025 agreeing to remove her dog from city limits, the incident report from September 14 involving her dog, and an incident from December 22 when the dog was picked up by the animal control unit again. No follow up was made to the city attorney’s office alleging a deficient production of public records.
Complainant also alleged that she emailed the animal control unit directly on January 1, 2026 and followed up on January 14, 2026. IPIB has not been provided these emails; but has no reason to doubt they occurred. However, Complainant admits the emails were sent to chris@siouxcityanimalcontrol.com, a domain that does not exist or belong to Respondent. Upon the opening of this complaint, Respondent provided the correct email address to Complainant and advised they would be willing and ready to respond to any records request they receive.
Applicable Law
“Every person shall have the right to examine and copy a public record and to publish or otherwise disseminate a public record or the information contained in a public record. Unless otherwise provided for by law, the right to examine a public record shall include the right to examine a public record without charge while the public record is in the physical possession of the custodian of the public record. The right to copy a public record shall include the right to make photographs or photographic copies while the public record is in the possession of the custodian of the public record. All rights under this section are in addition to the right to obtain a certified copy of a public record under section 622.46.” Iowa Code 22.2(1).
“[P]ractical considerations can enter into the time required for responding to an open records request, including ‘the size or nature of the request.’ But the records must be provided promptly, unless the size or nature of the request makes that infeasible,” Horsfield Materials, Inc. v. City of Dyersville, 834 N.W.2d 444, 461 (Iowa 2013).
Analysis
Counsel for Respondent answered Complainant’s December 23rd email within seven days. The assistant city attorney was never notified Complainant believed their response to be deficient. Any other records requests that may have been made by the Complainant were never received by the Respondent or their attorney. Iowa code does not prescribe a specific timeline for governmental entities to respond to records requests; however, seven days is well within the timeline that IPIB has previously found to be reasonable. Further, nothing in Chapter 22 holds governmental entities responsible for responding to records requests sent to the wrong address. For these reasons, it appears there was no violation of Chapter 22.
IPIB Action
The Board may take the following actions upon receipt of an Investigative Report:
Redirect the matter for further investigation;
Dismiss the matter for lack of probable cause to believe a violation has occurred;
Make a determination that probable cause exists to believe a violation has occurred, but, as an exercise of administrative discretion, dismiss the matter; or
Make a determination that probable cause exists to believe a violation has occurred, designate a prosecutor and direct the issuance of a statement of charges to initiate a contested case proceeding.
Iowa Admin. Code r. 497-2.2(4).
Recommendation
Therefore, because counsel for Respondent provided the requested records in a timely manner and no further requests for public records were received by Respondent, no violation of Chapter 22’s requirement occurred, and it is recommended the Board dismiss for a lack of probable cause.
By the IPIB Deputy Director,
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Charisa Flege, J.D.
CERTIFICATE OF MAILING
This document was sent on March 13, 2026, to:
Tamara Jabali, Complainant
City of Sioux City Animal Control, Respondent
The Iowa Public Information Board
In re the Matter of: Tamara Jabali, Complainant And Concerning: City of Sioux City Animal Control, Respondent |
Case Number: 26FC:0031 Probable Cause Order
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Under Iowa Admin. Code r. 497-2.2(4) the Board takes the following action:
☐a. Redirect the matter for further investigation;
☒b. Dismiss the matter for lack of probable cause to believe a violation has occurred;
☐c. Make a determination that probable cause exists to believe a violation has occurred, but, as an exercise of administrative discretion, dismiss the matter; or
☐d. Make a determination that probable cause exists to believe a violation has occurred, designate a prosecutor and direct the issuance of a statement of charges to initiate a contested case proceeding.
By the Board Chair
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Catherine Lucas
CERTIFICATE OF MAILING
This document was sent on March 24, 2026, to:
Tamara Jabali, Complainant
City of Sioux City Animal Control, Respondent