It is all clear to us that having sex with animals is an abnormal behavior that is not only morally wrong, but also disturbing and disgusting. Canada's top court, however, seems to think otherwise.
Voting 6-1, the Canadian Supreme Court recently ruled that sex acts involving animals are legal—as long as they do not involve penetration.
The high court essentially favoured a British Columbia man, identified only as "D.L.W.," who was charged with 14 counts for sexually assaulting his stepdaughters—including two counts of bestiality, for which he was acquitted.
In its decision, the top court said that under Canadian law, penetration is considered the "defining act" of bestiality, which they said D.L.W. did not commit.
"There is no hint in any of the parliamentary record that any substantive change to the elements of the offence of bestiality was intended," the court's decision read, as quoted by The Independent.
Justice Thomas Cromwell, who wrote for the judges who favoured the ruling, maintained that only Parliament can change the law that identifies penetration as an element of bestiality.
"Any expansion of criminal liability for this offense is within parliament's exclusive domain," Cromwell wrote.
Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella, the lone dissenter in the ruling, however stood in the belief that all forms of animal sex should be considered illegal.
"Acts with animals that have a sexual purpose are inherently exploitative whether or not penetration occurs," she wrote in her dissenting opinion.
Animal rights groups expressed concern over the Supreme Court ruling. Camille Labchuk, executive director of the Animal Justice group, said this decision highlights the need to amend the already "outdated" law on bestiality.
"People who sexually abuse animals are sometimes linked to sexually abusing children as well, as the accused did in this case," she said, as quoted by Reuters. "That's a really good reason Parliament needs to act."
Labchuk further maintained that all forms of sex with animals are "unacceptable, contrary to societal expectations, and cannot be allowed to continue."
A bill that amends Canada's criminal code that seeks to define bestiality as all inter-species sexual activity is currently in its early stages before Parliament.
