This bill amends existing Iowa law to clarify the status of bison and nondomesticated haired sheep when they are hunted or kept for hunting purposes on licensed hunting preserves. Specifically, it introduces new legal language that excludes these animals from the definition of livestock, which traditionally includes various domesticated species and farm animals. The bill specifies that livestock now refers to animals belonging to the bovine, caprine, equine, ovine, or porcine species, as well as certain birds and farm deer, while explicitly stating that bison and nondomesticated haired sheep do not fall under this definition when they are on a licensed hunting preserve.

Additionally, the bill modifies the language regarding the treatment of livestock in relation to customary animal husbandry practices. It clarifies that the laws concerning the injuring or destruction of livestock do not apply to bison and nondomesticated haired sheep in the context of hunting preserves. This change aims to provide a legal framework that recognizes the unique status of these animals in hunting scenarios, thereby exempting them from certain animal welfare regulations that apply to traditional livestock.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 484B.1, 717.2