Senator sponsors ban on bestiality at group's urging

OLYMPIA — People who have sex with animals should face a felony conviction for animal cruelty, says a Republican senator pushing for a ban on bestiality.

Sen. Pam Roach, an Auburn-area Republican, is sponsoring the bill, which was prompted by a widely publicized case in which a man died of injuries suffered while having sex with a horse. The measure was aired Tuesday in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Washington is one of 14 states where bestiality is not explicitly prohibited, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

"Our laws are lacking in this area," Roach said. "People are coming from out of state to do this here. We don't need to have a mecca here for abusing animals."

A Seattle man died in July after suffering a perforated colon while having sex with a horse at a farm near Enumclaw.

Authorities said the man was pronounced dead soon after companions dropped him off at a hospital. The Seattle Times is not identifying him to protect family privacy.

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.

Roach's proposal would make bestiality a Class C felony, which is punishable by a maximum five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Offenders might also be restricted from owning animals and could be placed into counseling. Anyone videotaping such acts also could be convicted under animal-cruelty laws.

Studies have shown a strong link between sex with animals and pedophilia, King County Deputy Prosecutor Daniel Satterberg said. "It would be wrong to look at this as an animal-welfare bill," he said. "It's the kind of conduct that can escalate to where the offender can become a threat to public safety."

Animal-rights groups around the state, the Washington Farm Bureau, Washington State Grange and state veterinarians also have backed the bill. Nobody testified against it Tuesday.

Pasado's Safe Haven, an animal-welfare group based in Sultan, first approached Roach for the legislation. The veteran lawmaker, who owns goats on her family farm, immediately adopted the issue.

Susan Michaels, co-founder of Pasado's Safe Haven, an animal sanctuary near Monroe, said her organization receives a few calls each year about animal sexual abuse.

Michaels said animals can be hurt or killed or can transmit diseases during the acts.