Hunter
05/12/26
Governor Kim Reynolds signed an animal torture bill into law Monday, making severe degrees of the offense a felony.
Before the bill was signed into law, Iowa was the only US state where animal torture was not a felony on the first offense.
Currently, it’s an aggravated misdemeanor when someone intentionally inflicts severe prolonged or repeated physical pain that causes an animal’s injury or death, but adds a Felony charge if someone intentionally mutilates, burns, poisons, drowns, starves, or causes intensive or prolonged pain or death to a companion animal.
The legislation passed unanimously by both the House and Senate.