Iowa is a state that prides itself on common sense and basic decency. So it may surprise you to learn that Iowa is the only state in the country where extreme animal torture is not a felony. Not one of a handful of holdouts. The last one. Fifty states had the opportunity to get this right and 49 of them did.
The Iowa Senate can fix that before this legislative session ends. The question is whether it will.
The bill is SF 2099. It would make intentional animal torture a first-offense felony in Iowa, bringing our state in line with every other state in the nation and with federal law. President Trump signed legislation making extreme animal cruelty a federal felony. SF 2099 mirrors that federal law. Iowa should not lag behind the federal government and all 49 of its sister states.
Here is how absurd the current situation is: stealing a $2 lottery ticket is a felony in Iowa. Setting a dog on fire? Under current Iowa law, it’s a misdemeanor. That is not a defensible position, and no serious person has tried to defend it. Not a single organization, not the Farm Bureau, not the livestock industry, not hunters, not trappers, not a single lobbyist in Des Moines, has registered in opposition to this bill. When was the last time you saw that kind of consensus at the statehouse?
The bill passed the Iowa House unanimously. It cleared a Senate subcommittee and the full Senate Judiciary Committee, also unanimously. Law enforcement is behind it: the Iowa Fraternal Order of Police, the Iowa Police Chiefs Association, and the Iowa State Sheriffs’ & Deputies’ Association have all formally endorsed it. So has the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association.
This is also, importantly, a public safety issue. Research shows that pet abuse occurs in 88 percent of families investigated for physical child abuse. Animal cruelty is one of the earliest and most reliable warning signs of broader violence. When we treat it as a minor offense, we are not just failing animals. We are ignoring a critical signal that children and families may be in danger. Law enforcement understands this. Iowa’s statutes should reflect it.
A new statewide poll shows that 80 percent of Iowans support making extreme animal cruelty a felony when they learn Iowa is the lone holdout. That support is deep and consistent. It holds across party lines, across regions, and across every legislative district that has been examined. Iowans across the political spectrum are unified on this.
The votes exist in the Iowa Senate to pass this bill. The public support is overwhelming. The opposition is nonexistent. What is missing is a floor vote.
Iowa has been last long enough. The Senate should bring SF 2099 to the floor and let Iowa finally join the rest of the country.
Preston Moore is the Iowa State Director for Humane World for Animals.
NOW is the time to be the voice for these abused neglected and murdered animals! Save their lives by putting their owners behind bars and make sure they never are allowed to have an animal or be around animals ever again! These innocent animals (dogs, cats, farm animals..etc) have feelings – the fear love feel joy and sadness, and trust. Humans are betraying their trust and love, it’s INHUMANE and Iowa lawmakers need to pass the bill to PROTECT these animals (dogs are so loyal living and devoted, yet humans hurt them and it needs to stop NOW). Please pass this bill and make it a felony to hurt ALL animals. It’s heartbreaking to see dogs suffer or be murdered, they are and were so terrified scared and depressed feeling all alone and not understanding why a human wanted to hurt them. These predators need to be stopped! And Iowa needs to join the rest of the country in passing laws that protect the innocent. Thank you.