Sen. Bennett urges Senate to advance bill making extreme animal cruelty a felony

Senator Bennett of Lehi urged the Senate on Thursday to move Senate File 2099 to the floor for a vote, saying Iowa remains the only state without a first‑offense felony for extreme forms of animal cruelty and that stronger penalties would protect both animals and people.

"This is depraved," Bennett said, describing a recent Des Moines case in which a woman starved a dog, taped its paws, locked it in a suitcase and left it to die. He told colleagues the bill has broad support from animal‑advocacy organizations, law enforcement and victim‑advocacy groups.

The House unanimously passed the companion bill on April 16, 2026, Bennett said, and he noted Senate File 2099 passed subcommittee and committee unanimously but remains on the Senate's unfinished business calendar. "Protecting animals protects people," he said.

Bennett presented several statistics he said came from advocacy and law‑enforcement sources to underline the bill's public‑safety rationale: he cited estimates that 71%–83% of domestic‑violence survivors entering shelters report that a partner also abused or killed their pets; that up to 85% of pets in homes with domestic violence are abused; and that 59% of survivors delay leaving because they fear for their animals' safety. He also cited research he attributed to the National Sheriffs' Association linking exposure to domestic violence with later cruelty to animals.

No formal debate or vote on Senate File 2099 occurred during the brief session. The presiding officer then recognized the senator from Wenatchee, Senator Clemish, who moved to adjourn until Monday, April 20 at 1 p.m.; the motion carried and the Senate adjourned.

Next steps: Bennett's remarks flag Senate File 2099 for action from members who control the unfinished business calendar; the transcript does not record when the bill will next be taken up.