Human–animal marriage

There are numerous cases of people seeking to marry animals they loved, from the Roman Emperor Caligula often said to have both married his horse Incitatus and appointed it to the Senate, through to the 2005 case of a woman who married a dolphin, and a 2006 case of a Sudanese man who was ruled to be obligated to pay dowry and marry a goat following sexual activity with it. In addition there is significant folklore and myth on the subject. Possible some less well known religions, or older traditions, may indeed permit such marriages.

No modern country recognizes marriage between humans and non-humans, but throughout history people have sought ways to commit to an animal they loved in this way, often involving ceremonies which, whilst not legally bidning, carry great personal significance.

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Law

No present-day national jurisdiction is known to allow marriage between humans and non-humans. They are not legally recognized and purported marriage ceremonies usually have no legislative validity. This is because in most legal systems, animals are viewed as chattels (property), and are therefore not considered to have capacity to comprehend marriage any more than a suitcase can, nor the personhood to enter into legal or other agreements. Additionally, in many customs, a marriage must be consummated, which in such a partnership would in many territories constitute an illegal act.

Historical cases

• It is often said that the Roman Emperor Caligula both married his horse Incitatus, and appointed it to the Senate.
• May 1998 - The Jerry Springer Show produced 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. [1]
• June 2003 - a nine year old Indian girl of the 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 100 guests, who danced to the beating of drums and drank home-made liquor. The girl told Western press, "I have no regret in marrying the dog Bacchan. I am fond of the dog who moves around our locality," and tribal elders added she was free to remarry in future as an adult. [2]
• February 2004 - a 75 year old man from kathmandu Nepal married a dog "in a local custom" of his Tharu community, attended by his son and other relatives. [3]
• December 2005 - 41 year old Sharon Tendler of Great Britain unofficially married Cindy, a male dolphin held at the Dolphin Reef dolphinarium in Eilat, Israel, in a ceremony where she offered fish and the dolphin 'kissed' her. She had been visiting Cindy regularly for the past 15 years. Tendler requested permission from the dolphin's trainer for the "wedding". The marriage, painted romantically by the media, was in her words considered "a bit of fun" after her friends joked about her being single at that age. (See: Cindy the Dolphin)
• February 2006 - a Sudanese man caught having sex with a neighbour's goat, was ordered by the council of elders to pay the neighbour a dowry of 5,000 Sudanese dinars ($50) and marry the animal. [4]

Folklore, myth, and popular culture

• A Korean 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) [5] [6]
• 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". [7] [8]
• In the last episode of the sitcom Punky Brewster, Brandon marries a dog named Brenda. [9]

See also

• Marriage
• Animal love
• Loving relationship
• Long-term relationship
• Exogamy
• Speciesism
• Anthrozoology
• Zoophilia