Bestiality and the Dangers of Sexual Diseases (STD's)

What is Bestiality?

Bestiality refers to sexual contact between humans and animals. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with the more general term "zoophilia," which refers to the emotional and/or sexual attraction to animals. Persons engaging in such acts or having such feelings are known as "zoophiles."

Prevalence varies by culture and region, and in most instances it is taboo or just not spoken about. Some individuals have tried to justify the practice of bestiality by claiming that they become emotionally attached to the animals. Due to various ethical, legal and health reasons, this practice has been condemned by most societies for a long time.

Bestiality Porn: A Hazardous Niche

This has meant that since the rise of the internet, various types of explicit content, including bestiality porn, have become increasingly accessible. Material that is often referred to as "dog porn" or some other analogous term portrays a type of sexual interaction between humans and animals. Bestiality porn, as with other similar genres, raises very serious legal and ethical questions since it involves animal abuse, exploitation, and often illegal activity. Its production, circulation, and viewing are strictly prohibited under the harshest laws of most countries and states due to the inhumane nature of the act.

Is Bestiality Legal?

Bestiality is considered legal in some parts of the world, while it has been banned in others. In the United States, for example, bestiality remains illegal in most states, although there are still a few regions where either specific laws do not take cognizance of the issue or the act is simply not explicitly illegal. For example, by the recent legislative changes point, states such as Wyoming, New Mexico, and West Virginia have no broad bans on bestiality at all, though it is still a heated topic of legal reform. Some countries, such as Canada and the UK, fully prohibit bestiality; the persons who commit it are brought before the law and receive grave legal sentences.

Where is Bestiality Legal in the USA?

Although bestiality is illegal in most states of America, there are some states which, until recently, have been slow in passing comprehensive legislation to prohibit the activity. In certain regions, whether or not bestiality is illegal would be left to the broad interpretation of their animal cruelty laws. For example, until recently, states like Kentucky and Nevada have had loopholes in the statute books that did not criminalize bestiality. However, those states have since closed those loopholes. It is important to point out that even in those states where bestiality is not necessarily outlawed, engaging in or creating bestiality porn is a federal crime under statutes that prevent the traffic of obscene material and cruelty to animals.

Health Risks of Bestiality: STDs and Zoonotic Diseases

Having sexual relations with animals is not only highly questionable from both an ethical and legal perspective but also dangerously threatening to health. Zoonotic diseases, or diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans, are one of the major issues concerning bestiality. These include bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections, which can even risk human lives.

Can You Get an STD from Bestiality?

Sexually transmitted diseases are the infections mainly spread through sexual contact. While many people are aware of STDs such as chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea, they may be less aware that animals can carry and transmit similar or related diseases to humans through direct contact, which includes acts of bestiality.

Chlamydia

The bacterium Chlamydia psittaci, the agent of chlamydia in animals, exists among birds primarily. However, it can infect mammals. Most commonly, the infection of psittacosis is transmitted to people from birds through contact; less documented is the risk of the infection through sexual means.

Syphilis

Syphilis is a sexually acquired infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. Although human syphilis usually is acquired through sexual contact with an infected human, some animals are known to carry similar organisms. The chances of acquiring syphilis directly from animals through sexual contact are limited, but bestiality does entail a host of bacterial hazards.

Gonorrhea

The bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a strictly human-infecting organism; however, other forms of such bacteria might be carried by animals and have strong propensities to induce heavy infections in animals, especially the genitourinary tract, and sexual activities involving them could give rise to such infections.

Hepatitis B and C

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are liver diseases caused by the hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus, respectively. In general these viruses are considered contagious and are usually transmitted by contact with an infected person's blood or through sexual relations; however, there is also the possibility that closely related viruses infecting animals could be transmitted to humans by exposure to infectious animal products, especially blood.

HIV

HIV is derived from a similar-type virus carried by primates called SIV, or simian immunodeficiency virus. Although most animals would not likely transmit the disease of HIV to a person through bestiality, there are several other viruses that are zoonotic and deadly.

Herpes

Herpes viruses are common among most animal species, and some types can be transmitted to humans. For example, primates can transmit Herpes B to humans. A person can get herpes from bestiality considering that sexual transmission of herpes is not rare between animals and humans.

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Zoonotic Diseases from Bestiality

Besides sexually transmitted infections, there are some zoonotic diseases that may be acquired by a person through close contact with animals. Such diseases include:

• Leptospirosis: A bacterial infection transmitted to humans through direct contact with the urine of an infected animal, especially dogs, rats, and farm animals.
• Toxoplasmosis: Caused by the protozoa Toxoplasma gondii, this disease is generally associated with cats. This disease can cause serious health problems in humans, mainly in pregnant women.
• Brucellosis: This bacterial infection is common among the farm animals and can be transmitted to man with ease due to close contact or ingested infected animal product. It produces flu-like symptoms and long-term complications if not treated.

Bestiality and Animal Welfare

Besides the many diseases through which bestiality can expose humans to risks, great harm is also caused to the animals involved in the sexual acts. Animals are unable to give consent, and engaging them in sexual acts is a form of their exploitation and abuse. Many countries have strict animal welfare laws that regard bestiality as a form of animal cruelty.

Prolonged sexual contact with animals can injure them physically, give them infections, and also affect the animal's mental health. Bestiality porn perpetuates abuse and exploitation of animals, and their eventual outcomes have mostly been tragic as far as their health is concerned.

Gay Bestiality and Legal Consequences

Though bestiality in most areas worldwide is considered illegal, gay bestiality refers to the sexual relations between a male human and a male animal. It does not shift its illegality with the sexual orientation of those involved. In fact, the legality of bestiality does not change according to the gender of the human or animal participating. In most jurisdictions that have no expressed bans on bestiality, gay bestiality falls under general animal cruelty laws and is subject to similar penalties as heterosexual bestiality.

Ethical Considerations: The Morality of Bestiality

Apart from the legal and health risks, bestiality is also vehemently disapproved of on ethical grounds. The major implication is that animals cannot be said to be in a position capable of giving informed consent, hence any form of sexual conduct between humans and the animals is per se exploitative. Bestiality works against the moral and ethical code that controls human interaction with animals since these ought to be inspired by principles of respect, care, and protection without notions of exploitation.

A Dangerious Practice

Bestiality, or zoophilia, is a dangerous practice with far-reaching implications regarding legality, ethics, and health. Sexual activities with animals are a violation of animal welfare laws and open individuals to a host of zoonotic diseases, sexually transmitted infections like syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes, and hepatitis. Bestiality porn, which depicts these acts, promotes cruelty to animals and is illegal in many countries. It should, for this reason, be condemned as not only unethical but also very dangerous to both the human being and the animals.

"Public awareness coupled with fundamental legal reforms are a good foundation for bestiality practices to be uprooted adequately."

Public awareness is expected to be imparted upon individuals on the risks of, and moral implications that are involved in bestiality to safeguard human health and animal welfare.