A person, including a domesticated animal professional, domesticated animal activity sponsor, the owner of the domesticated animal, or a person exhibiting the domesticated animal, is not liable for the damages, injury, or death suffered by a participant or spectator resulting from the inherent risks of a domesticated animal activity. This section shall not apply to the extent that the claim for damages, injury, or death is caused by any of the following:
1. An act committed intentionally, recklessly, or while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or other drug or a combination of such substances which causes damages, injury, or death.
2. The use of equipment or tack used in the domesticated animal activity which the \n Tue Dec 09 21:57:27 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 673 (22, 0) 3 DOMESTICATED ANIMAL ACTIVITIES, §673.4\n\ndefendant provided to a participant, if the defendant knew or reasonably should have known that the equipment or tack was faulty or defective.
3. The failure to notify a participant of a dangerous latent condition on real property in which the defendant holds an interest, which is known or should have been known. The notice may be made by posting a clearly visible warning sign on the property.
4. A domesticated animal activity which occurs in a place designated or intended by an animal activity sponsor as a place for persons who are not participants to be present.
5. A domesticated animal activity which causes damages, injury, or death to a spectator who is in a place where a reasonable person who is alert to inherent risks of domesticated animal activities would not expect a domesticated animal activity to occur. 97 Acts, ch 61, §2 \n
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
10
cases (
4 in the last 5 years), 2003–2026 · leading case:
Baker v. Shields, 767 N.W.2d 404 (Iowa 2009).
Baker v. Shields, 767 N.W.2d 404 (Iowa 2009).
· cites it 24× “Iowa Code § 673.2 . Baker resisted. He argued that Iowa Code chapter 673, the Domesticated Animals Activity Act, does not apply to the use of horses in “traditional” farming operations.”
Martha Duban v. Waverly Sales Co., 760 F.3d 832 (8th Cir. 2014).
· cites it 8× “Waverly filed a motion for summary judgment, arguing Iowa Code § 673.2 , which precludes liability for a “domesticated animal activity sponsor” when the damages result from “the inherent risks of a domesticated animal activity,” exempted it from liability.”
Hynes v. Clay Cnty. Fair Ass'n, 672 N.W.2d 764 (Iowa 2003).
· cites it 10× “Iowa Code § 673.2 . In granting immunity to the fair association under this legislation, the district court rejected Patricia’s contentions that (1) she was not a spectator as defined in the statute, and (2) a person who was alert to the inherent risks of domesticated animal…”
Schumacher v. Schumacher, 676 N.W.2d 685 (Minn. Ct. App. 2004).
· cites it 2× “” The parties agree that, under Iowa law, respondent would not be liable in negligence for appellant’s injuries be *690 cause the immunity statute applies to the facts of this case.”
Johnson v. Am. Leather Specialties Corp., 578 F. Supp. 2d 1154 (N.D. Iowa 2008).
· cites it 2× “” Iowa Code § 673.2 . Prior to the adoption of the Iowa Equine Activity Liability Act, Iowa common law permitted liability for injuries caused by a domesticated animal based on a simple negligence standard.”
Anna J. Stoner v. Kassi Taft, 15 N.W.3d 100 (Iowa Ct. App. 2024).
· cites it 53× “See Iowa Code § 673.2 (1)–(5). The parties agree that only two of the exceptions may apply.”
Rocky Baker v. Joshua Shields, No. 07–1102 (Iowa June 19, 2009).
· cites it 24× “Iowa Code § 673.2 . Baker resisted. He argued that Iowa Code chapter 673, the Domesticated Animals Activity Act, does not apply to the use of horses in “traditional” farming operations.”
Janey Shafer v. Frank Santana, 36 N.W.3d 731 (Iowa 2026).
· cites it 14× “Iowa Code § 673.2 (2021). Because we find insufficient evidence to support recklessness, we vacate the decision of the court of appeals and affirm the district court’s decision to dismiss the action.”
Janey Shafer v. Frank Santana, 30 N.W.3d 55 (Iowa Ct. App. 2025).
· cites it 11× “See Iowa Code § 673.2 . The question in this appeal is whether that immunity applies to the negligence claim of Janey Shafer, a farm visitor who was injured when a stationary horse team startled into motion and pulled an antique mower over her body.”
Vreeman v. Jansma, 995 N.W.2d 305 (Iowa Ct. App. 2023).
· cites it 8× “Jansma’s motion for summary judgment asserted that he is immune from liability for Vreeman’s injury under Iowa Code section 673.2, which provides: “A person, including a domesticated animal professional, domesticated animal activity sponsor, the owner of the domesticated animal,…”
Iowa Code § 673.2(1): 3 cases
Anna J. Stoner v. Kassi Taft, 15 N.W.3d 100 (Iowa Ct. App. 2024).
“See Iowa Code § 673.2 (1)–(5). The parties agree that only two of the exceptions may apply.”
Janey Shafer v. Frank Santana, 36 N.W.3d 731 (Iowa 2026).
“Iowa Code § 673.2 (2021). Because we find insufficient evidence to support recklessness, we vacate the decision of the court of appeals and affirm the district court’s decision to dismiss the action.”
Janey Shafer v. Frank Santana, 30 N.W.3d 55 (Iowa Ct. App. 2025).
“See Iowa Code § 673.2 . The question in this appeal is whether that immunity applies to the negligence claim of Janey Shafer, a farm visitor who was injured when a stationary horse team startled into motion and pulled an antique mower over her body.”
Iowa Code § 673.2(3): 1 case
Anna J. Stoner v. Kassi Taft, 15 N.W.3d 100 (Iowa Ct. App. 2024).
“See Iowa Code § 673.2 (1)–(5). The parties agree that only two of the exceptions may apply.”
Iowa Code § 673.2(5): 1 case
Janey Shafer v. Frank Santana, 36 N.W.3d 731 (Iowa 2026).
“Iowa Code § 673.2 (2021). Because we find insufficient evidence to support recklessness, we vacate the decision of the court of appeals and affirm the district court’s decision to dismiss the action.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.