Animal brothels legal in Denmark

Animal brothels legal in Denmark | IceNews - Daily News
International Nordic News

By Olafur Olafsson on May 20, 2008 in Countries, Denmark, General, MBL, Norway

red lightLaws in both Denmark and Norway are fairly open when it comes to a person’s legal right to engage in sexual activity with an animal. The law states that doing so is perfectly legal, so long as the animal involved does not suffer. According to the Danish newspaper 24timer, this interesting gap in the law has led to a flourishing business in which people pay in order to have sex with animals.

On the internet, several Danish animal owners openly advertise their services. The newspaper contacted several such individuals and was told that many of the animals have been engaged in this kind of activity for several years and that the animals crave the sexual stimulation. The newspaper found that the cost charged by the animal owners varied from DKK 500 to 1,000 (USD$85 to $170).

Since Danish laws are so similar to Norwegian laws, the animal bordello phenomenon has led many to question if such a practice could be legal in Norway as well.

Torunn Knaevelsrud is the section chief for animal welfare for the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. “It is difficult to say yes or no,” he replied to a question about the legality of animal bordellos in Norway.

“It could be that the animals don’t really care,” Knaevelsrud said. “But I think it is in the nature of the case that animals will often be victims of injury, stress or suffering in connection with sexual acts with humans. Either that they are held fast, or frightened, or suffer pain or physical injury,” Knaevelsrud said.

Norway is currently reviewing its Animal Protection Act and several groups, including the Norwegian Animal Welfare Alliance, have proposed making amendments which forbid sexual intercourse with animals.

“The acts provoke moral disgust. The question is whether immorality should be made illegal. The FSA group discussing the new animal protection act has been in disagreement about this,” Knaevelsrud said.

One of the owners of an animal bordello in Denmark said that many of his clients come from abroad and travel some distance for his services. “But the clients tell us that it is much simpler to buy animal sex in Denmark than in their own country,” the owner said, explaining that many of his clients come from Norway, Sweden, Holland and Germany.