News : Animal Cruelty Law is on its way to creating a Felony charge for abusing animals

The Iowa House Judiciary Committee unanimously passed HF 557 (sponsored by Reps. Samantha Fett and Carter Nordman). A companion bill, SF 2099 (sponsored by Senator Lynn Evans) advanced through its Senate subcommittee.

These bills would elevate the most extreme animal cruelty crimes – defined as animal torture – to an automatic felony crime. Iowa is the currently the only state that does not have an automatic first offense felony charge for severe animal cruelty crimes.

Historical context:

• In 2019, President Trump signed the “PACT” act, targeting especially animal crush torture video offenses and animal cruelty crimes involving cross-state-lines commerce. (There was a case I believe last summer, or the year before, involving an Iowa attorney who was facilitating the production of similar videos.)
• In 2020, Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law HF 737, which updated definitions and penalties for many animal cruelty crimes. The bill originally had language in it that would have elevated these crimes to a felony, but the language was stripped in the Senate.
• That year, Mississippi updated its animal code to match President Trump’s newly signed law.
• Now, five years later, Iowa is the only state in the nation without a first offense felony charge for these crimes.

Remarks from President Donald J. Trump upon signing legislation that mirrors this bill’s language:

“We have a responsibility to honor the dignity of God’s creation. With today’s act (the 2019 PACT Act), we take the critical step toward being more responsible and humane stewards of our planet and all who we want to cherish and take care of, and all of those who live on it.” 

– President Donald J. Trump

Who is registered in support of this bill:

 Preston Moore, Iowa State Director, Humane World for Animals said of the bill, 

“Iowans have made their opinions known loud and clear – we do not support animal cruelty and want our leaders to take action against it. Iowans care very deeply for their pets and want to see them protected. Iowa’s animal advocates, law enforcement, veterinarians, and victim advocacy organizations are united in support of this important legislation. Iowa has been the lone state without an automatic felony charge for the most severe animal cruelty crimes for five years – we now have hope that that could change this year.”