After years of advocacy and public pressure, Iowa has finally updated its animal cruelty laws, which we join with Animal Rescue League of Iowa in celebrating. Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed legislation making severe animal cruelty a felony on the first offense — a major victory for animals and everyone who spoke up for them.

The most uncertain hurdle came before the bill reached the governor’s desk. Senate File 2099 had advanced through committee and was placed on the Senate calendar as unfinished business, but with the legislative session nearing adjournment, the bill still needed a Senate vote to survive.

That is when we called on Iowa supporters to act quickly. Iowa supporters made calls, sent emails, and urged senators to move the bill before time ran out.

Those actions made this victory possible.

Once the bill passed the Senate and reached Gov. Reynolds, she signed it into law and held a signing ceremony recognizing this important step forward for animals in Iowa.

Until now, Iowa was the last state in the U.S. that did not allow felony charges for a first offense involving severe cruelty to animals. This left animal abusers facing too little accountability, even in cases involving horrifying suffering and intentional violence.

Under the new law, a person commits animal torture if they intentionally, willfully, and maliciously mutilate, burn, poison, drown, starve, or cause intensive or prolonged pain or death to an animal companion, or pay another person to do the same.

Violators can now be charged with a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to $10,245. The law also increases penalties for repeat offenders.

This victory matters because cruelty must be taken seriously by communities, law enforcement, prosecutors, and the courts. Animals who suffer intentional violence deserve justice, and authorities need the tools to pursue meaningful accountability.

Thank you to every In Defense of Animals supporter who took action at each stage of this fight. Your calls, emails, signatures, and voices helped push this bill through its most uncertain moment and across the finish line.

Because of compassionate people like you, Iowa is no longer the lone state failing to treat extreme animal cruelty as a felony crime.

To learn more about how In Defense of Animals works every day to defend animals from cruelty, neglect, and exploitation, please check out our Justice for Animals campaign and the many ways we fight for accountability from abusers. We are deeply grateful to every person who helps. If you are able, donations help make this advocacy possible and sustain our work to protect animals and push for stronger measures of justice.