Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to the abandonment of cats and dogs including delivery to an animal shelter or pound, and making penalties applicable
Sponsored by Rep. Brett Barker (R)
Topics:Crime & correctionsCities & counties
Same legislation: HF 2521
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 26, 2026
- Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 3, 2026
- Done: House committeeFebruary 10, 2026
- Skipped: Passes the HouseContinued as HF 2521
- Next: Senate committee
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Became HF 2521 → Its progress continues under the new number. Go to HF 2521 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary To avoid being charged with animal abandonment, a person must have an employee or volunteer at a shelter or pound physically take the cat or dog. If someone leaves an animal behind without being handed off to a staff member, they could face criminal charges. These penalties can range from a simple misdemeanor to a more serious crime depending on the situation.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to the abandonment of cats and dogs including delivery to an animal shelter or pound. The bill provides that in order for the delivery of a cat or dog to an animal shelter or pound to be an exception to abandonment of the cat or dog, an employee or volunteer of the animal shelter or pound must physically accept the delivery of the animal. A person committing animal abandonment faces criminal charges ranging from a simple misdemeanor to an aggravated misdemeanor depending on the status of the animal.
House subcommittee
Named February 3, 2026. On February 5, 2026 it recommended passage.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
Fiscal note
AI summary This bill changes the law so that abandoning a cat or dog is only an exception to a crime if an employee or volunteer at a shelter or pound physically accepts the animal. The fiscal impact cannot be determined because the number of new convictions cannot be estimated, but the effect is anticipated to be minimal. Any resulting costs to the state's General Fund for the judicial branch, indigent defense, and the Department of Corrections would be incurred across multiple fiscal years.3
Read the fiscal note
Description
House File 2521 narrows an exception for the crime of abandonment of cats and dogs under Iowa Code section 717B.8. Under the Bill, for the delivery of a cat or dog to an animal shelter or pound to be an exception to the crime of abandonment of the cat or dog, an employee or volunteer of the animal shelter or pound must physically accept the delivery of the animal.
Background
Under Iowa Code section 717B.8 (Abandonment of Cats and Dogs — Penalties), a person commits animal abandonment if the person owns or has custody of a cat or dog and relinquishes all rights in and duties to care for the cat or dog. However, under current law (Iowa Code section 717B.8), the crime of abandonment of cats and dogs does not apply if the cat or dog is delivered to an animal shelter or pound.
Under Iowa Code section 717B.8, a person who commits animal abandonment:
- Is guilty of a simple misdemeanor if the delivery or relinquishment does not cause injury or death to an animal,
- Is guilty of a serious misdemeanor if delivery or relinquishment causes injury other than serious injury or death to an animal, and
- Is guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor if delivery or relinquishment causes serious injury or death to an animal.
In FY 2025, there were 21 convictions under Iowa Code section 717B.8 involving 16 individuals. A simple misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for up to 30 days in lieu of a fine or in addition to a fine of up to $855. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for up to one year and a fine of at least $430 but not more than $2,560. An aggravated misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for up to two years and a fine of at least $855 but not more than $8,540.
Assumptions
- The following will not change over the projection period: charge, conviction, and sentencing patterns and trends; prisoner length of stay (LOS); revocation rates; plea bargaining; and other criminal justice system policies and practices.
- County jail data is unavailable. For purposes of this analysis, the marginal cost for county jails is assumed to be $50 per day.
- Conviction data reflects the total number of convictions in adult court, which may include multiple convictions per individual. Not all convictions lead to incarceration, and there may be a delay between conviction and prison admission, which can contribute to differences in totals.
- A six-month delay is assumed from the effective date of the Bill to the date the first offender will enter the correctional system.
- Offender-based convictions are a count of individuals convicted of the same offense. Each offender is counted only once per Iowa Code section, regardless of the number of individual convictions.
- Admissions are a count of individuals newly admitted to the Department of Corrections (DOC) for supervision during a selected time period, based on the most serious offense committed.
Correctional Impact
The correctional impact of the Bill cannot be determined because the number of new convictions cannot be estimated, but is anticipated to be minimal. Figure 1 shows estimates for sentencing to State prison, parole, probation, or Community-Based Corrections (CBC) residential facilities; LOS in months under those supervisions; and supervision marginal costs per day for a serious misdemeanor and aggravated misdemeanor.
Figure 1 — Sentencing Estimates and Length of Stay (LOS) in Months
Conviction Offense Class
Percent
Ordered to
State
Prison
FY 2025 Avg
LOS in
Prison (All Releases)
Marginal
Cost Per
Day
Prison
Percent
Ordered to
Probation
FY 2025
Field Avg
LOS on
Probation
Avg Cost
Per Day
Probation
Marginal
Cost Per
Day CBC
Marginal
Cost Per
Day Jail
FY 2025
Field Avg
LOS on
Parole
Marginal
Cost Per
Day Parole
Serious Misdemeanor 2.3% 7.3 $23.07 44.8% 21.0 $8.00 $16.35 $50.00 N/A $8.00 Aggravated Misdemeanor Non-Persons 31.1% 9.3 $23.07 37.1% 28.4 $8.00 $16.35 $50.00 11.2 $8.00 Refer to the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) memo addressed to the General Assembly, Cost Estimates Used for Correctional Impact Statements, dated January 12, 2026, for information related to the correctional system.
Minority Impact
The minority impact cannot be determined since it is not known how many additional convictions would result from the changes under the Bill. Refer to the LSA memo addressed to the General Assembly, Minority Impact Statements, dated January 12, 2026, for information related to minorities in the criminal justice system.
Fiscal Impact
The fiscal impact of the Bill cannot be determined, but is anticipated to be minimal. Figure 2 shows the average State cost per relevant offense. The estimated impact to the General Fund includes operating costs incurred by the Judicial Branch, the Indigent Defense Fund, and the DOC. The costs would be incurred across multiple fiscal years for prison and parole supervision.
Figure 2 — Average State Cost Per Offense
Offense Class Average Cost
Simple Misdemeanor $30 to $420 Serious Misdemeanor $350 to $6,200 Aggravated Misdemeanor $8,300 to $12,200
Sources
- Department of Corrections
- Division of Data, Planning, and Improvement (DPI), Department of Management (DOM)
- Abandonment of Cats and Dogs, Delivery to Shelters · February 20, 2026
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91st General Assembly