717.1A  Livestock abuse.
  A person is guilty of livestock abuse if the person intentionally injures or destroys livestock owned by another person, in any manner, including, but not limited to, intentionally doing any of the following:  administering drugs or poisons to the livestock, or disabling the livestock by using a firearm or trap. A person guilty of livestock abuse commits 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 livestock, unless the action constitutes livestock neglect as provided in section 717.2.
  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 reasonably acting to protect the person’s property from damage caused by estray livestock.
  6.  A person reasonably acting to protect a person from injury or death caused by estray livestock.
  7.  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.
94 Acts, ch 1103, §8; 2008 Acts, ch 1058, §17