Editing Zoophilia (section)

== Legal status ==
{{Main|Zoophilia and the law}}
In many jurisdictions, all forms of zoophilic acts are prohibited; others outlaw only the mistreatment of animals, without specific mention of sexual activity. In the United Kingdom, [[Section 63 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008]] (also known as the Extreme Pornography Act) outlaws images of a person performing or appearing to perform an act of intercourse or oral sex with an animal (whether dead or alive).<ref name=opsisect63>{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/4/section/63|work=Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008|title=Section 63 – Possession of extreme pornographic images|year=2008}}</ref> Despite the [[Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)|UK Ministry of Justice]]'s explanatory note on extreme images saying "It is not a question of the intentions of those who produced the image. Nor is it a question of the sexual arousal of the defendant",<ref>{{cite web|title=Extreme Pornography|url=http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/d_to_g/extreme_pornography/|publisher=Crown Prosecution Service|accessdate=23 September 2015}}</ref> "it could be argued that a person might possess such an image for the purposes of satire, political commentary or simple grossness," according to ''[[The Independent]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Jackman|first1=Myles|title=Is it illegal to have sex with a dead pig? Here's what the law says about the allegations surrounding David Cameron's biography|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/is-it-illegal-to-have-sex-with-a-dead-pig-heres-what-the-law-says-about-the-allegations-surrounding-10510743.html|accessdate=23 September 2015|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|date=21 September 2015}}</ref>

Many new laws banning sex with animals have been made recently, such as in [[New Hampshire]],<ref name="Newhampshire" /> [[Ohio]],{{citation needed|date=October 2019}} [[Germany]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dejure.org/gesetze/TierSchG/3.html|title=§ 3 TierSchG - dejure.org|website=Dejure.org|accessdate=20 October 2018}}</ref> [[Sweden]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.webpronews.com/sweden-joins-an-increasing-number-of-european-countries-that-ban-bestiality-2013-06|title=Sweden Joins An Increasing Number Of European Countries That Ban Bestiality|website=Webpronews.com|accessdate=16 November 2017}}</ref> [[Denmark]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politik.tv2.dk/2015-04-21-flertal-for-lovaendring-nu-bliver-sex-med-dyr-ulovligt|title=Flertal for lovændring: Nu bliver sex med dyr ulovligt|date=21 April 2015|accessdate=20 October 2018}}</ref>[[Thailand]],<ref>[http://www.thailawforum.com/blog/what-are-the-laws-in-thailand-regarding-sex-with-animalsand] {{dead link|date=October 2018}}</ref> [[Costa Rica]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elpais.cr/2016/03/09/diputados-aclaran-alcances-y-limites-de-la-nueva-ley-de-bienestar-animal/|title=Diputados aclaran alcances y límites de la nueva Ley de Bienestar Animal|website=Elpais.cr|accessdate=16 November 2017}}</ref> [[Bolivia]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.derechoteca.com/gacetabolivia/ley-no-700-del-01-de-junio-de-2015/|title=LEY No 700 del 01 de Junio de 2015 » Derechoteca|website=Derechoteca.com|accessdate=16 November 2017}}</ref> and [[Guatemala]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gt.transdoc.com/articulos/archivos-leyes/Ley-de-Proteccin-y-Bienestar-Animal/62680|title=Transdoc :: Ley de Protección y Bienestar Animal :: transdoc.com|website=Transdoc.com|accessdate=16 November 2017}}</ref> The number of jurisdictions around the world banning it has grown in the [[2000s (decade)|2000s]] and [[2010s (decade)|2010s]].

The only EU countries where zoophilia remains legal are Finland, Hungary, and Romania.<ref name="BBC Newsbeat 2015-04-22">{{cite web |title=Denmark passes law to ban bestiality |website=BBC Newsbeat |date=2015-04-22 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/32411241/denmark-passes-law-to-ban-bestiality |access-date=2018-08-18}}</ref>

Laws on zoophilia are sometimes triggered by specific incidents.<ref>Howard Fischer: [https://web.archive.org/web/20080515222156/http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/122006 Lawmakers hope to outlaw bestiality], 
''Arizona Daily Star,'' 28 March 2006. In Arizona, the motive for legislation was a "spate of recent cases."</ref> While some laws are very specific, others employ vague terms such as "[[sodomy]]" or "bestiality", which lack legal precision and leave it unclear exactly which acts are covered. In the past, some bestiality laws may have been made in the belief that sex with an animal could result in monstrous offspring, as well as offending the community. Current anti-cruelty laws focus more specifically on animal welfare while anti-bestiality laws are aimed only at offenses to community "standards".<ref name="posner">Posner, Richard, A Guide to America's Sex Laws, The [[University of Chicago Press]], 1996. {{ISBN|978-0-226-67564-0}}. Page 207.</ref>
Notable legal views include Sweden, where a 2005 report by the Swedish Animal Welfare Agency for the government expressed concern over the increase in reports of [[horse-ripping]] incidents. The agency believed current animal cruelty legislation was not sufficient in protecting animals from abuse and needed updating, but concluded that on balance it was not appropriate to call for a ban.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=1357 |title=TheLocal.se |publisher=TheLocal.se |date=26 January 2012 |accessdate=13 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515124451/http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=1357 |archivedate=15 May 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> In [[New Zealand]], the 1989 Crimes Bill considered abolishing bestiality as a criminal offense, and instead viewing it as a mental health issue, but they did not, and people can still be prosecuted for it. Under Section 143 of the Crimes Act 1961, individuals can serve a sentence of seven years duration for animal sexual abuse and the offence is considered 'complete' in the event of 'penetration'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1961/0043/latest/DLM329260.html |title=Crimes Act 1961 No 43 (as at 01 October 2012), Public Act – New Zealand Legislation |publisher=Legislation.govt.nz |date=2012-10-01 |accessdate=2013-01-04}}</ref> In [[Canada]], a clarification of the anti-bestiality law was made in 2016 which legalizes most forms of sexual contact with animals other than penetration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scc-csc.ca/case-dossier/info/sum-som-eng.aspx?cas=36450|title=Her Majesty the Queen v. D.L.W.|publisher=Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada (ORSCC)|date=2016-05-02|accessdate=2016-06-20}}</ref>

Some countries once had laws against single males living with female animals, such as [[alpaca]]s.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}} Copulating with a female alpaca is still specifically against the law in Peru.<ref name="Leavitt2003">{{cite book|author=Fred Leavitt|title=The Real Drug Abusers|url=https://archive.org/details/realdrugabusers0000leav|url-access=registration|quote=female alpaca peru copulate.|date=January 1, 2003|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-0-7425-2518-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/realdrugabusers0000leav/page/195 195]}}</ref>

As of 2017, bestiality is illegal in 45 U.S. states. Most state bestiality laws were enacted between 1999 and 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animallaw.info |title=Michigan State University College of Law |publisher=Animallaw.info |date= |accessdate=2013-01-04}}</ref><ref name="TableLaws2016">{{cite web|url=http://www.animallaw.info/topic/table-state-animal-sexual-assault-laws |title=Table of State Animal Sexual Assault Laws &#124; Animal Legal & Historical Center |website=Animallaw.info |date=2016-06-24 |accessdate=2017-04-17}}</ref> Until 2005, there was a farm near [[Enumclaw, Washington]] that was described as an “animal brothel”, where people paid to have sex with animals. After [[Enumclaw horse sex case|an incident on 2 July 2005]], when a man was pronounced dead in the emergency room of the Enumclaw community hospital after his colon ruptured due to having had anal sex with a [[horse]], the farm garnered police attention. The [[Washington State Legislature|state legislature]] of the [[State of Washington]], which had been one of the few states in the United States without a law against bestiality, within six months passed a bill making bestiality illegal.<ref>Johnston, Lynda and [[Robyn Longhurst|Longhurst, Robyn]] ''Space, Place, and Sex'' [[Lanham, Maryland]]:2010 Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, p. 110.</ref><ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20080822194920/http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0%2C%2C2-10-1462_1739698%2C00.html Man dies after sex with horse]". News24, 19 July 2005.</ref> Arizona,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/mar/16/sheriff-says-craigslist-facilitates-bestiality |title=Sheriff says Craigslist facilitates bestiality |newspaper=Washington Times |date=2011-03-16 |accessdate=2013-01-04}}</ref> Alaska,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sessions |first1=David |title=Bill to Criminalize Bestiality Advances in Alaska Legislature |url=http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/01/27/bill-to-criminalize-bestiality-advances-in-alaska-legislature |accessdate=2020-02-10 |work=[[Politics Daily]] |date=27 January 2010 |archiveurl=https://archive.ph/20120908120705/http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/01/27/bill-to-criminalize-bestiality-advances-in-alaska-legislature/ |archivedate=2012-09-08 |url-status=unfit}}</ref> Florida,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-05-06/news/29534132_1_bestiality-bill-house-leaders-new-bill |location=New York |work=Daily News |first=Nina |last=Mandell |title=Legislation outlawing bestiality makes it to Florida governor's desk |date=6 May 2011}}</ref> Alabama,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://openstates.org/al/bills/2014rs/SB151/|title=SB 151 - Alabama 2014 Regular Session|website=Openstate.org|accessdate=17 April 2017}}</ref> New Jersey,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://legiscan.com/NJ/text/A3012/2014|title=New Jersey A3012 - 2014-2015 - Regular Session|accessdate=17 April 2017}}</ref> New Hampshire,<ref name="Newhampshire">{{cite web|url=http://legiscan.com/NH/text/HB1547/id/1286995|title=New Hampshire HB1547 - 2016 - Regular Session|accessdate=17 April 2017}}</ref> Ohio,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://legiscan.com/OH/text/SB195/2015|title=Ohio SB195 - 2015-2016 - 131st General Assembly|website=Legiscan.com|accessdate=16 November 2017}}</ref> Texas,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.star-telegram.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/politex-blog/article160220199.html|title=Texas: Crackdown on animal cruelty, bestiality, starts Sept. 1|website=Star-telegram.com|accessdate=12 March 2018}}</ref> Vermont,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2018/Docs/ACTS/ACT062/ACT062%20As%20Enacted.pdf|title=No. 62. An act relating to criminal justice|website=Legislature.vermont.gov|accessdate=20 October 2018}}</ref> and Nevada<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/79th2017/Reports/history.cfm?BillName=AB391|title=AB391|website=Leg.state.nv.us|accessdate=12 March 2018}}</ref> have banned sex with animals between 2006 and the present, with the latter 5 all banning it in 2017. When such laws are proposed, they are never questioned or debated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/2011/03/senate_again_passes_bestiality.html |title=Senate again passes bestiality bill &#124; Florida Politics &#124; Sun Sentinel blog |publisher=Weblogs.sun-sentinel.com |date=2011-03-24 |accessdate=2013-01-04}}</ref><ref name="ScientificAmerican">{{cite magazine|last=Bering |first=Jesse |url=http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=animal-lovers-zoophiles-make-scient-2010-03-24 |title=Animal Lovers: Zoophiles Make Scientists Rethink Human Sexuality &#124; Bering in Mind, Scientific American Blog Network |magazine=Scientific American|date=2010-03-24 |accessdate=2013-01-04}}</ref> Laws which prohibit non-abusive bestiality have been criticized for being discriminatory, unjust and unconstitutional.<ref name="interdis"/><ref name="mroberts" />