'''Human–animal marriage''' is not recognized in law by any country, although attempts to [[marriage|marry]] animals have been recorded.
'''Human–[[animal marriage]]''' is a marriage between a (non-human) animal and a human. This topic has appeared in mythology and [[magic in fiction|magical fiction]].<ref>[http://www.diacronia.ro/en/journal/issue/4/A58/en/pdf Naithani, Sadhana (2014). Folklore Theory in Postwar Germany.] University Press of Mississippi. pp. 48–52. {{ISBN|9781617039942}}.</ref> In the 21st century there have been numerous reports from around the world of humans marrying their pets and other animals. Human–animal marriage is often seen in accordance with [[zoophilia]], although they are not necessarily linked. Although animal-human marriage is not mentioned specifically in national laws, the act of engaging in [[Zoophilia and the law|sexual acts with an animal]] is illegal in many countries under animal abuse laws.
==Historical cases==
== Animal–human marriage in mythology ==
The practice of animal-human marriage has made appearances in several [[Mythology|mythological]] stories and [[folklore]], and is often understood to mean a deity-human marriage involving gods or heroes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Miller|first=Alan L.|date=1995-01-01|title=The Woman Who Married a Horse: Five Ways of Looking at a Chinese Folktale|jstor=1178945|journal=Asian Folklore Studies|volume=54|issue=2|pages=275–305|doi=10.2307/1178945}}</ref> The Chinese folktale "The Goddess of the Silkworm" is an example of a tale where a woman marries a [[horse]].<ref name=":0" /> A similar Irish [[legend]] tells of a king who marries a horse, symbolizing a divine union between the king and the goddess of the land.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/stpatrickofirela00phil|url-access=registration|title=St. Patrick of Ireland: A Biography|last=Freeman|first=Philip|date=2004-03-17|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=9780743267496|language=en}}</ref> Also the indigenous [[Cheyenne]] have a story of animal-human marriage in "The Girl who Married a Dog".<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Stensland|first=Anna Lee|date=1977-01-01|title=The Indian Presence in American Literature|jstor=815804|journal=The English Journal|volume=66|issue=3|pages=37–41|doi=10.2307/815804}}</ref> In addition, there are many Native American stories about people who married animals. In these Native American myths, animal spirits frequently assume human form.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Mi-Ni/Native-American-Mythology.html|title=Native American Mythology – Myth Encyclopedia – god, story, legend, names, ancient, animal, snake, world, creation, life|website=www.mythencyclopedia.com|language=en|access-date=2017-03-11}}</ref> They are not seen as literal animals, but representatives from the animal kingdom.<ref name=":1" />
===Cat===
According to [[Bernard Sergent]], "human–animal marriage is an union that is too remote as incest is a too close one. Compared to a balanced marriage, between humans but from another clan or another village, that is to say–depending on the society–within the framework of a well measured [[endogamy]] or [[exogamy]], incest transgresses the norm because it is an exaggerated endogamy, and animal marriage transgresses it because it is an exaggerated exogamy."<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Sergent|first=Bernard|date=1999|title=Un mythe lithuano-amérindien|url=https://www.persee.fr/doc/dha_0755-7256_1999_num_25_2_1536|journal=Dialogues d'histoire ancienne|volume=25|issue=2|page=36|doi=10.3406/dha.1999.1536|via=}}</ref>
In January 2004, a woman known as "The Mad Cat Lady" married both her tabby twin boys Lugosi and Spider via MarryYourPet.com, from whom she then received an (unofficial) certificate of marriage. She and her cats have since been featured in various newspaper articles including [[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/6210642/Woman-marries-her-beloved-moggies-in-holy-catrimony.html |title=Holy Catrimony|work=[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]|date=24 December 2014|accessdate=2 January 2015}}</ref> and Metro.<ref name= 'metro'>{{cite news|url= http://metro.co.uk/2014/12/24/woman-marries-her-two-cats-and-she-has-the-certificate-to-prove-it-4998236/ |title=Woman marries her two cats – and she has the certificate to prove it|work=[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]|date=24 December 2014|accessdate=2 January 2015}}</ref> She told "I realised no human had ever or could ever make me feel as happy and loved as them."<ref name='metro'/>
In May 2010, a [[Germany|German]] married his cat when he was told by his vet that the animal would soon die.<ref>{{cite news| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8658327.stm | work= BBC | title= German man 'marries' his dying cat | date = 2010-05-03}}</ref>
== Animal–human marriage in reality==
Although it is uncertain if there is a legal basis for marrying an animal, several individuals claim to have done so. The [[Sudanese goat marriage incident]] made big headlines in 2006 when a man was forced to marry a goat after being caught in a sexual interaction with the goat.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1550479/Man-marries-goat-captivates-millions.html|title='Man marries goat' captivates millions|last=Staff|first=By Our Foreign|work=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=2017-03-11|language=en}}</ref> Other reports of marriage include animals such as dogs, cats, frogs and a dolphin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3004930.stm|title=BBC NEWS {{!}} South Asia {{!}} Girl weds dog to break 'evil spell'|website=news.bbc.co.uk|access-date=2017-03-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/11/13/man-in-india-marries-dog-to-atone-for-stoning-to-death-mating-canines.html|title=Man in India Marries Dog to Atone for Stoning to Death Mating Canines|date=2007-11-13|work=Fox News|access-date=2017-03-11|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8658327.stm|title=BBC News - German man 'marries' his dying cat|website=news.bbc.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-03-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4290761/Seven-year-old-Indian-girls-marry-frogs.html|title=Seven-year-old Indian girls 'marry' frogs|last=Delhi|first=By Dean Nelson in|work=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=2017-03-11|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/2006/01/03/british-woman-marries-dolphin.html|title=British Woman Marries Dolphin|date=2006-01-03|work=Fox News|access-date=2017-03-11|language=en-US}}</ref> Other incidents of human animal relations took place in 2010, when 18-year-old Balinese man Ngurah Alit was found having sexual intercourse with a cow butt, who he claimed flirted with him.<ref name=":02">{{Cite news|url=http://jakartaglobe.id/archive/bali-teenager-passes-out-marrying-cow-he-had-sex-with/|title=Bali Teenager Passes Out Marrying Cow He Had Sex With {{!}} Jakarta Globe|work=Jakarta Globe|access-date=2017-03-11|language=en-US}}</ref> As part of a Pecaruan ritual, the man was forced to marry the animal.<ref name=":02" /> The ceremony was thought to cleanse the village of the immoral act of [[bestiality]].<ref name=":02" /> The cow was drowned in the ocean, while Alit was symbolically drowned as well.<ref name=":02" />
In June 2013, fashion designer [[Karl Lagerfeld]] announced that he wished to marry his cat [[Choupette]]. He said in an interview with [[CNN]], "There is no marriage, yet, for human beings and animals… I never thought that I would fall in love like this with a cat."<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/news/karl-lagerfeld-says-he-wants-to-get-married-to-his-cat-8640689.html |title=Karl Lagerfeld says he wants to get married... to his cat|work=[[The Independent]]|date=1 June 2013|accessdate=7 October 2013}}</ref>
===Cow===
In June 2010, 18-year-old [[Indonesia]]n man, Ngurah Alit, was forced to marry his cow after he was found having sex with them. The man had believed the cow to be a beautiful woman.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/archive/bali-teenager-passes-out-marrying-cow-he-had-sex-with/ | title= Bali Teenager Passes Out Marrying Cow He Had Sex With | date=12 June 2010|work= [[Jakarta Globe]]|accessdate= 7 October 2013}}</ref> He then became a widower when the cow was drowned in the sea to symbolically cleanse the village of the act of [[bestiality]] committed there.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://metro.co.uk/2010/06/14/man-forced-to-marry-cow-faints-at-wedding-387781/|title=Man forced to marry cow faints at wedding|date=14 June 2010|work=[[Metro (British newspaper)]]|accessdate=7 October 2013}}</ref>
===Dog===
In June 2003, a nine-year-old [[India]]n girl of the [[Santhal people|Santal]] (or 'Santhal') tribe of [[Khanyhan]], near [[Calcutta]] was formally married to a dog, in order to ward off a bad [[omen]]. The wedding was attended by more than one hundred guests, who danced to the beating of drums and drank home-made liquor. The girl told [[Western world|Western]] press, "I have no regret in marrying the dog. I will take care of this dog who was stray and survived on left-overs," tribal elders added she was free to remarry a human in future as an adult.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3004930.stm | work=BBC News | title=Girl weds dog to break 'evil spell' | date= 2003-06-19}}</ref>
In November 2007 a man in southern India married a female dog in a traditional Hindu ceremony as an attempt to atone for stoning two other dogs to death – an act he believes cursed him. Selvakumar, 33, told the paper he had been suffering since he stoned two dogs to death and hung their bodies from a tree 15 years prior.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21768663/ | title = Man in India marries dog as atonement | newspaper = MSNBC | publisher = MSN}}</ref>
In February 2009 an [[infant]] boy was married off to his neighbors' dog in eastern India by villagers who said that they would stop the groom from being killed by wild animals. The boy will still be able to marry a human bride in the future.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29259293/ | title = Indian boy marries dog to ward off tigers | newspaper = MSNBC | publisher = MSN}}</ref>
On November 30, 2010 an [[Australia]]n man married his best friend, a five-year-old [[Labrador]].<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.newser.com/story/106664/australian-guy-marries-his-dog.html | work=Newser | title= Australian Guy Marries His Dog | date=2010-11-30}}</ref>
In February 2011, a [[Ghana]]ian woman, Emily Mabou, 29, married an 18-month-old dog; the ceremony was attended by a traditional priest and local villagers.<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=202316 | work=Ghana Web | title=Woman Marries Dog In Ghana | date= 2011-01-11}}</ref>
On March 11, 2014, a 47-year-old woman, Amanda Rodgers, married a dog.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/03/11/woman-who-marries-dog-_n_4941589.html|title='I Am Totally Her Bitch' Says Woman Who Married Dog|date=2014-03-11|accessdate = 7 September 2014|work = Huffington Post}}</ref>
In September 2014, an 18-year-old woman, Mangli Munda, from [[Jharkhand]], India married a stray dog named Sheru in a ceremonial marriage to ward off a curse on her.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Moye|first1=David|title=Mangli Munda, 18, Marries Dog To Ward Off Curse|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/03/mangli-munda_n_5760506.html|accessdate=7 September 2014|work=Huffington Post|date=3 September 2014}}</ref>
===Dolphin===
In January 2006, [[British people|British]] woman Sharon Tendler in Israel married Cindy, a [[male]] [[bottlenose dolphin]]. Cindy was taken in 1990 from the [[Black Sea]] to the Dolphin Reef [[dolphinarium]] in [[Eilat, Israel]], in the [[Gulf of Aqaba]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dolphinreef.co.il/Default.aspx?tabid=27|title=The Dolphins|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20130809230329/http://dolphinreef.co.il/Default.aspx?tabid=27|archivedate=9 August 2013}}</ref> There, Tendler saw him during a show. She continued visiting for 15 years before she requested permission for the "wedding" in 2005.<ref name="TheAge">{{Citation | place = [[Australia|AU]] | url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/woman-weds-dolphin/2005/12/30/1135732715098.html | title = Woman weds dolphin | newspaper = [[The Age]] | date = December 30, 2005}}</ref> Permission was granted and the ceremony was held on December 28 of that year.<ref name="Anova">{{Citation | url = http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1664667.html | title = Woman marries Dolphin | newspaper = [[Anova]]|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20060101061903/http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1664667.html?|archivedate=Jan 1, 2006}}</ref> Tendler stated that "the peace and tranquility under water, and his love, would calm me down,"<ref name=TheAge/> and that she loved him.<ref name=TheAge2/> Tendler herself admitted that the marriage had no legal standing<ref name="TheAge2">{{Citation | url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/woman-marries-dolphin/2006/01/01/1136050339590.html | title = Woman marries dolphin | newspaper = [[The Age]] | place = AU | date = January 2, 2006}}</ref> and that the ceremony was, in her own words, "a bit of fun" after her friends joked about her being single at the age of 41.<ref name="IlfordRecorder">{{Citation | url = http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/content/redbridge/recorder/news/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=newsIlford&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsilford&itemid=WeED05%20Jan%202006%2012%3A19%3A50%3A420 | title = Fishy tale of woman who 'wed' dolphin | newspaper = Ilford Recorder | date = January 5, 2006|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070930150508/http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/content/redbridge/recorder/news/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=newsIlford&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsilford&itemid=WeED05%20Jan%202006%2012:19:50:420|archivedate=September 30, 2007}}</ref> The marriage was non-exclusive. Cindy was the father of all of the dolphins born in the sea,<ref name="Ynetnews">{{Citation | url = http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3264387,00.html | title = Dolphin married to British Jew dies | newspaper = [[Ynetnews]] | date = June 18, 2006}}</ref> and Tendler kept open the option of "marrying human", but was strictly a "one dolphin woman".<ref name=TheAge2/> As Cindy is normally a woman's name, it has been mistakenly stated that the marriage was a [[same-sex marriage]].<ref name = "OReilly">{{Citation | url = http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,180673,00.html | title = Talking Points: The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day | author-link = Bill O'Reilly (commentator)| first = William ‘Bill’ | last = O'Reilly | newspaper = [[Fox News Channel|Fox News]] | date = January 6, 2006}}</ref> After three weeks of poor health, Cindy died on June 18, 2006, less than a year after the marriage.<ref name =Ynetnews />
===Goat===
{{Main |Sudanese goat marriage incident}}
In February 2006 a [[Sudan]]ese man named Charles Tombe caught having sex with a neighbour's [[goat]] which was subsequently nicknamed [[Rose (goat)|Rose]], was ordered by the council of [[Elder (administrative title)|elder]]s to pay the neighbour a [[dowry]] of 15,000 Sudanese dinars ($75) and marry the animal.<ref>{{cite news| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4748292.stm | work = BBC News | title= Sudan man forced to 'marry' goat | date = 2006-02-24 | accessdate= 2010-05-04}}</ref>
===Horse===
In May 1998 the ''[[The Jerry Springer Show]]'' had an episode titled "I Married a Horse!". The show was ultimately not aired by many stations on the planned date, apparently due to concerns about the acceptability of broadcasting an episode in which a man admitted to a long term emotional and sexual relationship of this kind. The man and his horse later participated in a British documentary on the subject.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cincypost.com/living/1998/spring052198.html|title=Springer's latest: 'I Married a Horse'|work=[[The Cincinnati Post]]|publisher=[[E. W. Scripps Company]]|date=1998-05-21|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20040406093707/http://www.cincypost.com/living/1998/spring052198.html|archivedate=2004-04-06}}</ref>
===Snake===
In June 2006 an [[India]]n woman from [[Bhubaneswar]], [[Orissa]], fell in love with a snake and was married to it at a "traditional Hindu wedding celebrated by 2,000 guests".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-06-02/india/27825949_1_snake-orissa-woman-marriage|title=Orissa woman marries snake|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=2 June 2006|accessdate=8 October 2013}}</ref> She claimed that a bond of understanding existed between the two. The woman had previously been ill, and recovered upon offering milk to the snake, at which time she fell in love. She later "converted to the animal-loving vegetarian [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnav]] sect whose local elders gave her permission to marry the [[cobra]].".<ref>{{cite news|title=Charmed woman marries snake !|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/NM11/Charmed-woman-marries-snake/Article1-104879.aspx|accessdate=13 October 2012|newspaper=Hindustan Times|date=June 2, 2006|agency=Agence France-Presse|location=Bhubaneswar}}</ref> A 2007 investigation by ''[[Harper's]]'' magazine journalist [[Mischa Berlinski]] suggested that the snake may not even have existed, and that the incident may have been stage-managed as part of a local power struggle between Vaishnav religious leaders.<ref>Mischa Berlinski, "[http://harpers.org/archive/2007/11/woman-marries-snake/3/ Woman marries snake: A peculiar Indian love story]", ''Harper's'', Nov. 2007, pp 41–52.</ref>
==Folklore, myth, and popular culture==
A [[Culture of China|Chinese]] folktale, sometimes known as ''The Silkworm'', tells how [[silk]] originated following the King's daughter spiritually marrying a horse, in completion of a promise made in times of trouble. In the tale, the princess was reborn as a [[silkworm]], a creature whose appearance and mannerisms superficially were said to resemble that of a horse. (From Chonsol Ttara Samch'olli, retold by Heinz Insu Fenkl) <ref>[http://www.worldoftales.com/Asian_folktales/Chinese_Folktale_36.html The Girl with the Horse's Head or the Silkworm Goddess]</ref>
A [[Cheyenne]] myth "The Girl Who Married a Dog", states that the group of seven stars known as the [[Pleiades]] originated from seven puppies which a Cheyenne chief's daughter gave birth to after mysteriously being visited by a dog in human form to whom she vowed "Wherever you go, I go".<ref>[http://www.native-languages.org/cheyennestory3.htm The Girl Who Married A Dog]</ref>
In some parts of [[Celt]]ic [[Ireland]], Sudan (often called "sacred kings") had to wed the local [[goddess]] of the land. A [[druid]]ess was usually chosen to represent the land goddess as the king's wife, but one mythological king in [[Donegal]] is said to have married a horse, a representative of their local [[goddess]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://library.thinkquest.org/C0116903/society/classes.htm|title= Celtic Social Classes |publisher=Roots of the Ancients|accessdate=7 October 2013}}</ref>
==See also==
==See also==
* [[Choupette]]
* [[Human bonding]]
* [[Human bonding]]
* [[Human-animal hybrid]]
* [[Speciesism]]
* [[Speciesism]]
* [[Anthrozoology]]
* [[Anthrozoology]]
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==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/TheGirlWhoMarriedADog-Cheyenne.html A Cheyenne Legend] First People – The Legends
* [http://www.angelfire.com/ca/Indian/GirlMarriedDog.html The Girl Who Married a Dog] (Cheyenne)
{{Types of marriages|state=autocollapse}}
{{zoophilia}}
{{zoophilia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Human-Animal Marriage}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Human-Animal Marriage}}
[[Category:Anthrozoology|Marriage]]
[[Category:Animals and humans|Marriage]]
[[Category:Anthropology]]
[[Category:Animal law]]
[[Category:Types of marriage]]
[[Category:Marriage]]
{{ethics-stub}}
{{animal-rights-stub}}
Latest revision as of 21:31, 2 April 2023
Human–animal marriage is a marriage between a (non-human) animal and a human. This topic has appeared in mythology and magical fiction.[1] In the 21st century there have been numerous reports from around the world of humans marrying their pets and other animals. Human–animal marriage is often seen in accordance with zoophilia, although they are not necessarily linked. Although animal-human marriage is not mentioned specifically in national laws, the act of engaging in sexual acts with an animal is illegal in many countries under animal abuse laws.
The practice of animal-human marriage has made appearances in several mythological stories and folklore, and is often understood to mean a deity-human marriage involving gods or heroes.[2] The Chinese folktale "The Goddess of the Silkworm" is an example of a tale where a woman marries a horse.[2] A similar Irish legend tells of a king who marries a horse, symbolizing a divine union between the king and the goddess of the land.[3] Also the indigenous Cheyenne have a story of animal-human marriage in "The Girl who Married a Dog".[4] In addition, there are many Native American stories about people who married animals. In these Native American myths, animal spirits frequently assume human form.[5] They are not seen as literal animals, but representatives from the animal kingdom.[5]
According to Bernard Sergent, "human–animal marriage is an union that is too remote as incest is a too close one. Compared to a balanced marriage, between humans but from another clan or another village, that is to say–depending on the society–within the framework of a well measured endogamy or exogamy, incest transgresses the norm because it is an exaggerated endogamy, and animal marriage transgresses it because it is an exaggerated exogamy."[6]
Animal–human marriage in reality
Although it is uncertain if there is a legal basis for marrying an animal, several individuals claim to have done so. The Sudanese goat marriage incident made big headlines in 2006 when a man was forced to marry a goat after being caught in a sexual interaction with the goat.[7] Other reports of marriage include animals such as dogs, cats, frogs and a dolphin.[8][9][10][11][12] Other incidents of human animal relations took place in 2010, when 18-year-old Balinese man Ngurah Alit was found having sexual intercourse with a cow butt, who he claimed flirted with him.[13] As part of a Pecaruan ritual, the man was forced to marry the animal.[13] The ceremony was thought to cleanse the village of the immoral act of bestiality.[13] The cow was drowned in the ocean, while Alit was symbolically drowned as well.[13]
↑ 2.02.1Miller, Alan L. (1995-01-01). "The Woman Who Married a Horse: Five Ways of Looking at a Chinese Folktale". Asian Folklore Studies. 54 (2): 275–305. doi:10.2307/1178945. JSTOR1178945.
