New Bill May Improve Iowa State Animal Abuse Law - National Humane Education Society

Paws Up!
February 14, 2018

To the Iowa Senate for considering a new bill to improve the state’s animal welfare law.

According to a recent news article, a woman near Sandyville, Iowa, was was charged with 22 counts of animal neglect after three dead dogs, and nineteen neglected dogs were found on her property. She was charged with a misdemeanor, served no jail time, and only one year of supervised probation. This case and similar cases have inspired the introduction of a new bill to improve the required standard of care for companion animals and allow more severe charges for animal cruelty offenders in Iowa.

SF2181 (previously SF421), proposes to change the law to:

• Better define “injury” and “serious injury”
• Clarify definitions of “neglect” and “abuse”
• Hold animal owners fully accountable for abuse
• Allow harsher penalties for serious injuries
• Increase penalties for repeat offenses
• Require pet owners to provide a sanitary living environment

Iowa residents, tell your legislators that you support  SF281 to improve the lives of animals in your state. Feel free to use NHES’ sample action letter below.

Re: SF2182 to improve the standard of care for animals in Iowa, and to provide harsher penalties for animal cruelty.

Dear Senator ___________,

My name is (Your Name) and I am deeply concerned with animal welfare issues in Iowa. I am writing to encourage you to support SF2182 to improve our state’s animal welfare law. Neglect of animals may not be as attention-grabbing as overt acts of violence. However, death by starvation, disease, or cold, is just as miserable as death by a a violent act. Iowa companion animals must be protected from irresponsible owners, as well as abusive ones.

Respectfully,
{Your Name}