The food and agriculture minister, Dan Jørgensen, has announced that he intends to follow in the footsteps of Denmark’s Nordic neighbours and ban animal sex.
The minister said that current animal protection legislation is too difficult to enforce when it comes to documenting animal suffrage.
“Animals should be treated with respect and care and have a right to a special degree of protection as they are unable to speak out themselves,” Jørgensen said in a press release.
“Therefore, I propose changing the animal protection law so that it specifically conveys that sex with animals will no longer be permitted.”
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Sweden and Norway showing the way
Today, the animal protection laws are difficult to enforce as it is difficult to prove that the animals have suffered.
In most other European countries – such as Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, England, France and Germany – animal sex has already been banned. Norway criminalised the act in 2008, while Sweden followed suit earlier this year.
Animal sex is still legal in other countries, however, including Finland, Russia, some US states, some Australian states/territories, Hungary, Mexico, Thailand, Brazil and Romania.