Beastiality bill makes its way to Gregoire's desk
Thursday, March 2, 2006 6:33 AM PST
By Associated Press
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E-mail this articleOLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- The House unanimously approved a bill Wednesday that would make it a felony to have sex with animals, and the measure now heads to Gov. Chris Gregoire, who is expected to sign it.
The bill passed the Senate last month on a 36-0 vote, with 13 lawmakers excused. It was prompted by a widely publicized Washington state case in which a man died of injuries suffered while having sex with a horse.
The measure would make bestiality a Class C felony, which is punishable by a maximum five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Anyone videotaping such acts also could be convicted under animal cruelty laws, as could anyone permitting such acts to take place on his property.
Offenders could also be restricted from owning animals and required to undergo counseling.
"Animals are innocent. They cannot consent," said Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn, the bill's sponsor. "It's wrong, and now the law says it's wrong."
Washington is one of 14 states where bestiality has not been explicitly prohibited, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The issue made headlines in July, when Kenneth Pinyan of Seattle died after suffering a perforated colon while having sex with a horse at a farm in rural King County.
Prosecutors were unable to charge anyone with animal cruelty, but James Michael Tait, 54, of Enumclaw, pleaded guilty to trespassing for unlawfully entering the barn during the incident.
Authorities said Tait videotaped the act. He received a one-year suspended sentence, a $300 fine and community service.
Authorities said the Enumclaw farm involved in the bestiality death was well-known on the Internet. Investigators found hundreds of hours of videotaped evidence, but there was no evidence of injury to the horses involved, so no animal cruelty charges were ever filed.
The animal sex bill is Senate Bill 6417.
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