Denmark is moving to outlaw bestiality following ongoing international pressure about the country’s animal welfare laws.
Denmark is among only a small number of European countries that has not outlawed bestiality, with German, Sweden and Norway all banning the practice in recent years. This has resulted in an increase in underground animal sex tourism in the Scandinavian country.
Minister of Food and Agriculture Dan Jorgensen, who wants the Animal Welfare Act to be amended next year, said sex with animals should be banned. He explained that one of the reasons behind his decision was the damage to the country’s reputation, but insisted the most important reason was the fact that most cases were attacks against animals.
He went on to say that the benefit of the doubt in animal sex cases should always be given to the animal as they have no option to say no. And a recent survey showed that 76 per cent of Danes backed the move.
However, the president of the animal ethics committee, Bengt Holst, described the move as “unnecessary”. He claims the current law protects animals as it prohibits animal distress, pain, lasting harm and suffering. He said that the Animal Welfare Act already protects the animals so the Animals Ethics Council were not in a position to “moralise”.