Ohio 42nd State to Prohibit Animal Sexual Assault ... With Nevada, Vermont, and Texas making it 45 states
*UPDATE: NEVADA, VERMONT, AND TEXAS HAVE ALL PASSED LAWS PROHIBITING ANIMAL SEXUAL ASSAULT*
Vermont passed law amending their animal cruelty statute, 13 V.S.A. §352(11)(A), a misdemeanor, to prohibit animal sexual assault in March 2017 and signed into law on June 7, 2017. "A person commits the crime of cruelty to animals if the person: (11)(A) engages in sexual conduct with an animal; (B) possesses, sells, transfers, purchases, or otherwise obtains an animal with the intent that it be used for sexual conduct; (C) organizes, promotes, conducts, aids, abets, or participates in as an observer an act involving any sexual conduct with an animal; (D) causes, aids, or abets another person to engage in sexual conduct with an animal; (E) permits sexual conduct with an animal to be conducted on premises under his or her charge or control; or (F) advertises, offers, or accepts the offer of an animal with the intent that it be subject to sexual conduct in this State." (Westlaw 2017).
Texas passed its law, V.T.C.A. Penal Code §21.09 in June 2017, which became effective Sept. 1, 2017. Bestiality is a felony in the state of Texas.
Nevada passed a law in October 2017, N.R.S. AB 391 §1, making it a felony to commit an act of bestiality.
Congratulations to Ohio for passing and putting into effect its law banning animal sexual assault!
On March 21, 2017 Ohio became the 42nd state to put into effect a law banning sexual conduct and sexual contact with an animal. Before Ohio passed Senate Bill 331, Ohio was one (1) of ten (10) other states where animal sexual assault or bestiality was legal. Currently, animal sexual assault is legal in Hawaii, Kentucky, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming.
However, in the state of Ohio the crime of Animal Sexual Assault is only a second degree misdemeanor. Currently twenty-two (22) of the forty-two (42) states that prohibit animal sexual assault, the crime is felony and the other twenty-one (21) of the forty-two (42) total states the crime is classified as a misdemeanor. If you live in the states where is currently legal to practice sexual conduct and contact with an animal, call or write your state representatives to let them know this is an issue that is important to you and should be prohibited. Your voice matters and this horrific crime happens more than you know.
Find your state representatives using the links below and help make a difference for those animals that are being abused.
Ohio began its journey to pass this law to amend R.C. §959.21 in 2016. The bill was first introduced in the senate on May 17, 2016 and passed on May 25, 2016 by 21-11 vote. After the bill went through house the bill passed the house with a 55-42 vote on December 7, 2016. Gov. John Kasich, Republican, signed the bill making it a law on December 19, 2016. The law will go into effect with 90 days, on March 21, 2017.
(A) As used in this section:
(1) "Animal" means a nonhuman mammal, bird, reptile, or amphibian, either dead or alive.
(2) "Offense" means a violation of this section or an attempt, in violation of section 2923.02 of the Revised Code, to violate this section. (3) "Officer" has the same meaning as in section 959.132 of the Revised Code.
(4) "Sexual conduct" means either of the following committed for the purpose of sexual gratification:
(a) Any act done between a person and animal that involves contact of the penis of one and the vulva of the other, the penis of one and the penis of the other, the penis of one and the anus of the other, the mouth of one and the penis of the other, the mouth of one and the anus of the other, the vulva of one and the vulva of the other, the mouth of one and the vulva of the other, any other contact between a reproductive organ of one and a reproductive organ of the other, or any other insertion of a reproductive organ of one into an orifice of the other; (b) Without a bona fide veterinary or animal husbandry purpose to do so, the insertion, however slight, of any part of a person's body or any instrument, apparatus, or other object into the vaginal, anal, or reproductive opening of an animal.
(B) No person shall knowingly engage in sexual conduct with an animal or knowingly possess, sell, or purchase an animal with the intent that it be subjected to sexual conduct.
(C) No person shall knowingly organize, promote, aid, or abet in the conduct of an act involving any sexual conduct with an animal.
(D) An officer may seize and cause to be impounded at an impounding agency an animal that the officer has probable cause to believe is the subject of an offense. With respect to an animal so seized and impounded, all procedures and requirements that are established in section 959.132 of the Revised Code, and all other provisions of that section, apply to the seizure, impoundment, and disposition of the animal. References in section 959.132 of the Revised Code to "section 959.131 of the Revised Code," "companion animal," and "offense" shall be construed, respectively, as being references to "section 959.21 of the Revised Code" and to "animal" and "offense" as defined in this section, for purposes of application under this section only.
Find your Hawaii State Representatives HERE
Find your West Virginia State Representatives for the House and Senate HERE.