Iowa statute
Iowa Code § 717.2 — Livestock neglect
Current through 2026 Iowa Code (enactments effective on or before 2026-01-01, through the 2025 Regular Session, 91st G.A.)
Part of Chapter 717: Injury to Livestock, Iowa Code.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of Iowa Code § 717.2
Statutory text current through the 2026 Iowa Code (enactments effective on or before 2026-01-01, through the 2025 Regular Session, 91st G.A.). This publication reproduces the statutory text of the official 2026 Iowa Code (Legislative Services Agency); it is not the official publication of the State of Iowa.
1. A person who impounds or confines livestock, in any place, and does any of the following commits the offense of livestock neglect:
a. Fails to provide livestock with care consistent with customary animal husbandry practices.
b. Deprives livestock of necessary sustenance.
c. Injures or destroys livestock by any means which causes pain or suffering in a manner inconsistent with customary animal husbandry practices.
2. A person who commits the offense of livestock neglect is guilty of a simple misdemeanor. A person who intentionally commits the offense of livestock neglect which results in serious injury to or the death of livestock is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. However, a person shall not be guilty of more than one offense of livestock neglect punishable as a serious misdemeanor, when care or sustenance is not provided to multiple head of livestock during any period of uninterrupted neglect.
3. This section does not apply to a research facility, as defined in section 162.2, provided that the research facility performs functions within the scope of accepted practices and disciplines associated with the research facility.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
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