Secretary Naig Announces Animal Welfare Handbook to Support Law Enforcement Partners in Responding to Animal Neglect Cases

Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship hosting webinar on May 28 to introduce the resource

DES MOINES, Iowa (May 19, 2025) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has developed a tool that law enforcement agencies and county attorneys can reference to plan and execute timely, effective responses to animal welfare complaints. The animal welfare handbook outlines each agency’s regulatory authority and role in a coordinated response. It also provides species-specific, science-based standards of care to help responders objectively evaluate the health of domestic animals and production livestock.

“The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is responsible for keeping animals in our state safe and healthy, and it’s a responsibility we take very seriously. We can’t do it alone. When suspected animal welfare cases arise, we collaborate with local law enforcement to investigate and take the appropriate actions,” said Secretary Naig. “The Department’s animal health experts developed this animal welfare handbook to ensure our law enforcement partners have the tools and support they need to safely and effectively respond to and resolve these unfortunate situations.”

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will host a webinar at noon/CT on Wednesday, May 28, to provide an overview of the animal welfare handbook. Register for the free webinar here.

Overview of the Animal Welfare Handbook

The animal welfare handbook was designed to support law enforcement agencies, county attorneys and animal control groups operating in Iowa. 
•    The first section of the handbook outlines each agency’s role and regulatory jurisdiction based on Iowa Code 717 and 717B.
•    The second section emphasizes the importance of advanced planning, including building relationships with local response partners and researching temporary housing options, which leads to more positive outcomes.
•    The third section outlines each animal species’ unique housing, nutrition and veterinary needs to help law enforcement objectively evaluate potential neglect and welfare concerns. It also includes step-by-step guidance to help county attorneys document the situation and build a strong animal neglect case. 

The animal welfare handbook is a free resource and can be viewed or downloaded from the Department's animal welfare webpage.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship welcomes the opportunity to meet with local law enforcement agencies, county attorneys and animal control groups to discuss and gather feedback on the handbook. If agencies have questions about their roles in responding to potential animal neglect/welfare cases, they can contact the Department at animalwelfare@iowaagriculture.gov or 515-281-6358.