Seth A. Richardson

srichardson@rgj.com

Having sex with animals is technically legal in Nevada. Some Assembly members want to change that.

Assembly Bill 391 would create the crime of bestiality – sexual relations with an animal – bringing Nevada into the majority of states where it is already a crime. Nevada is one of just nine states where it is not a crime, including Hawaii, Kentucky, New Mexico, Texas, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Ohio was also on that list until March 21, when its newly-passed bestiality ban took effect.

If passed, the Nevada bill would punish someone found guilty of a gross misdemeanor. That penalty is increased to a class C felony if the animal dies or is seriously injured or the person has a previous conviction for animal cruelty.

Those guilty would have to undergo a psychological evaluation, give up ownership of any animals and pay for the cost of care for the violated animal.

A letter from the Human Society said it’s a bigger issue than updating laws. Bestiality crimes are tracked by the FBI and studies show the top indicator of future child abusers.

The bill also criminalizes animal sex trafficking, which the Human Society letter said is a problem in Nevada since it is not criminalized.

“Perpetrators use various websites to seek out one another where they often trade, rent, and sell animals for sex,” Heather Carpenter, Western regional director for the Human Society, wrote in the letter. “A popular bestiality website has over thousands of registered users from all areas of the state. In the last two weeks alone, there have been two dozen posts on the Nevada Craigslist page from owners offering their dogs for sex with strangers or people seeking animals for sex.”

Law enforcement came out in full support.

Nobody spoke against the bill.

Seth A. Richardson covers politics for the Reno Gazette-Journal. Like him on Facebook here or follow him on Twitter at @SethARichardson.