Iowa House Approves Bill Increasing Penalties For Animal Abusers

It's a day to celebrate for animals and animal lovers, as the Iowa House passed a bill that would give harsher punishment to animal abusers.

KCRG reports that the House unanimously approved the bill 96-0. This is no surprise, as who would be against increasing the punishment for people who mistreat animals?

To get into the specifics of the bill, it would "heighten the criminal penalties for animal abuse and neglect, animal torture and abandonment," according to KCRG. This particular bill exempts farm livestock and some wild animals. Also, owners who fail to provide an animal with necessities such as access to food, drinkable water, sanitary shelter, veterinary care, and grooming could be considered animal abusers resulting in up to two years in prison. A second offense would result in a felony and would be punishable by up to five years in prison.

The report also states "Animal torture, which is intentionally causing prolonged suffering or death, would be a felony punishable by up to five years. Abandoning an animal could carry a 30-day jail sentence, a year in jail if the animal is injured or two years if it sustains a serious injury."

The bill is now headed to the Senate. Let's hope it continues to move as we've seen plenty of animal abuse and neglect in Iowa alone. It's time to hold abusers more accountable and give these animals a voice.