Sharon Harvey

Sharon Harvey, seen here in 2009, is the president and CEO of the Cleveland Animal Protective League (APL). She told cleveland.com Wednesday that she is hopeful that the Ohio House will approve an anti-bestiality bill within the next week to allow the legislation to become law.

(Lynn Ischay, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - After the news that the Ohio Senate unanimously approved an anti-bestiality bill Wednesday, the president of the Cleveland Animal Protective League (APL) said she is hopeful that the bill will become law.

The anti-bestiality bill must pass through the Ohio House before the end of session next week for it to become law.

Sharon Harvey, the president and CEO of the Cleveland APL, told cleveland.com that she is hoping the legislature will pass the law.

"I hope the House will find a way to move [the bill] through quickly as well," Harvey said. "It's uncomfortable to talk about, but not unworthy of being discussed. This bill has been a long time coming."

It's hard to say how prevalent bestiality and animal sexual abuse is because of its underground nature, Harvey said.

"There are a number of chat room-type groups that are kept well under wraps," she said. The acts can be hard to uncover, but when they are, Harvey said the APL and other animal rights groups "absolutely want to be able to prosecute."

While the Cleveland APL is a private, non-profit organization, they are given full police powers under Ohio law. The organization has its own cruelty investigators and can seize suffering animals.

The prosecution must be able to prove that an animal has suffered for an animal sexual abuse case to go forward under current Ohio rules, Harvey said. It can be difficult to prove suffering in some cases, she said.

"I applaud the bill's sponsors for bringing up this difficult subject," Harvey said. "This act in and of itself needs to be against the law."

Harvey said she is encouraged that the Ohio legislature has worked to sign progressive laws in regards to animal welfare. She highlighted the passage of Goddard's Law in May 2016; the law, named after longtime Fox 8 weatherman and animal rights activist Dick Goddard, makes knowingly causing physical harm to a pet a fifth-degree felony. People found guilty under the law face jail time and a $2,500 fine.