Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 717B.2 (2026)

Animal abuse — penalties

✓ current as of July 2026

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1. A person commits animal abuse when the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly acts to inflict injury, serious injury, or death on an animal by force, violence, or poisoning. 2. This section shall not apply to any of the following: a. An owner of the animal, or a person acting with the consent of the owner, who euthanizes an animal in a reasonable manner, if at the time of the euthanasia, the animal is in a state of permanent pain or suffering. b. A person acting to carry out an order issued by a court. c. A veterinarian practicing veterinary medicine as provided in chapter 169. d. A person acting in order to carry out another provision of law which allows the conduct. e. A person taking, hunting, trapping, or fishing for a wild animal as provided in chapter 481A. f. A person acting to protect the person’s property from a wild animal as defined in section 481A.1. g. A person acting to protect a person from injury or death caused by a wild animal as defined in section 481A.1. h. A person reasonably acting to protect the person’s property from damage caused by an unconfined animal. i. A person reasonably acting to protect a person from injury or death caused by an unconfined animal. j. A local authority reasonably acting to destroy an animal, if at the time of the destruction, the owner of the animal is absent or unable to care for the animal, and the animal is permanently distressed by disease or injury to a degree that would result in severe and prolonged suffering. k. A research facility, as defined in section 162.2, if the research facility has been issued or renewed a valid authorization by the department pursuant to chapter 162, and performs functions within the scope of accepted practices and disciplines associated with the research facility. l. An act required to be carried out by a commercial establishment to care for an animal in its possession or under its control as described in section 162.10A, subsection 1, provided that the commercial establishment complies with applicable standard of care requirements pursuant to subsections 1 and 2 of that section. 3. A person who commits animal abuse that causes injury, other than serious injury or death, to an animal is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. 4. A person who commits animal abuse that causes serious injury or death to an animal is guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor. 5. Notwithstanding subsection 4, a person who commits animal abuse that causes serious injury or death to an animal is guilty of a class “D” felony if the person has previously been convicted of committing animal abuse pursuant to this section, animal neglect punishable as a serious misdemeanor or aggravated misdemeanor pursuant to section 717B.3, animal torture pursuant to section 717B.3A, injury to or interference with a police service dog pursuant\n\nTue Dec 09 21:55:57 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 717B (29, 0) 3 MISTREATMENT OF ANIMALS, §717B.3\n\nto section 717B.9, bestiality pursuant to section 717C.1, or an act involving a contest event prohibited in section 717D.2. 94 Acts, ch 1103, §13; 2008 Acts, ch 1058, §20; 2020 Acts, ch 1111, §5 Referred to in §162.10A, 717B.1, 717B.3, 717B.3A, 717B.3B, 717C.1

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 8 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1999–2026 · leading case: City of Dubuque v. Fancher, 590 N.W.2d 493 (Iowa 1999).

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City of Dubuque v. Fancher, 590 N.W.2d 493 (Iowa 1999). · cites it 2× “See Iowa Code §§ 717B.2, 717B.3 (1997); Johnson County v.”

State of Iowa v. Kendall Wayne Hammes (Iowa Ct. App. 2023). · cites it 4× “The State charged Hammes with animal abuse causing serious injury or death, in violation of Iowa Code section 717B.2(1) (2021). In January 2022, Hammes filed a combined pretrial notice of defense and motion to dismiss, asserting that he had an absolute defense pursuant to Iowa…”

Unknown, 559 U.S. 460. · cites it 2× “Code §]14–22”) Iowa Iowa Code §717B.2(5) (2009) (“This section [banning “animal abuse”] shall not apply to .”

State of Iowa v. Christopher David Vogel (Iowa Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 2× “Christopher Vogel appeals from his sentence following his guilty plea to animal abuse, in violation of Iowa Code section 717B.2 (2017), an aggravated misdemeanor.”

State of Iowa v. Tamora Morrise (Iowa Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 2× “” Iowa Code § 717B.2 (2019). A person is guilty of animal neglect if the person “[f]ails to supply the animal during confinement with a sufficient quantity of food or water” or “deprives [the animal] of necessary sustenance .”

State of Iowa v. Christopher William Thompson (Iowa 2022). · cites it 2× “2(1) (2020), as well as animal abuse, an aggravated misdemeanor, in violation of Iowa Code section 717B.2. Thompson separately pleaded guilty to the animal abuse charge.”

State of Iowa v. Mindy Jo Jones (Iowa Ct. App. 2026). · cites it 2× “2 (2022), and animal abuse causing serious injury or death (count II), an aggravated misdemeanor in violation of section 717B.2(4). We detail the facts relevant to each of the issues raised in this appeal.”

— Iowa Code § 717B.2(1) — 1 case

State of Iowa v. Kendall Wayne Hammes (Iowa Ct. App. 2023). “The State charged Hammes with animal abuse causing serious injury or death, in violation of Iowa Code section 717B.2(1) (2021). In January 2022, Hammes filed a combined pretrial notice of defense and motion to dismiss, asserting that he had an absolute defense pursuant to Iowa…”

— Iowa Code § 717B.2(2) — 1 case

— Iowa Code § 717B.2(4) — 1 case

State of Iowa v. Mindy Jo Jones (Iowa Ct. App. 2026). “2 (2022), and animal abuse causing serious injury or death (count II), an aggravated misdemeanor in violation of section 717B.2(4). We detail the facts relevant to each of the issues raised in this appeal.”

— Iowa Code § 717B.2(5) — 1 case

Unknown, 559 U.S. 460. “Code §]14–22”) Iowa Iowa Code §717B.2(5) (2009) (“This section [banning “animal abuse”] shall not apply to .”

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