A person is guilty of animal abuse if the person intentionally injures, maims, disfigures, or destroys an animal owned by another person, in any manner, including intentionally poisoning the animal. A person guilty of animal abuse is guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor. This section shall not apply to any of the following:
1. A person acting with the consent of the person owning the animal, unless the action constitutes animal neglect as provided in section 717B.3.
2. A person acting to carry out an order issued by a court.
3. A licensed veterinarian practicing veterinary medicine as provided in chapter 169.
4. A person acting in order to carry out another provision of law which allows the conduct.
5. A person taking, hunting, trapping, or fishing for a wild animal as provided in chapter 481A.
6. A person acting to protect the person's property from a wild animal as defined in section 481A.1.
7. A person acting to protect a person from injury or death caused by a wild animal as defined in section 481A.1.
8. A person reasonably acting to protect the person's property from damage caused by an unconfined animal.
9. A person reasonably acting to protect a person from injury or death caused by an unconfined animal.
10. A local authority reasonably acting to destroy an animal, if at the time of the destruction, the owner of the animal is absent or unable to care for the animal, and the animal is permanently distressed by disease or injury to a degree that would result in severe and prolonged suffering.
11. An institution, as defined in section 145B.1, or a research facility, as defined in section 162.2, provided that the institution or research facility performs functions within the scope of accepted practices and disciplines associated with the institution or research facility.
94 Acts, ch 1103, §13
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