Animal Defenders International Colombia bans bestiality: Congress is making sex with animals a criminal offence (In which countries is bestiality still legal?)

 

 Colombia criminalizes sex with animals as a crime 

Good news from Colombia : Congress considers sex with animals a criminal offense. The bill states that anyone engaging in sexual relations with an animal can face imprisonment, fines, and a ban from working in the animal industry.

 

Good news from Colombia : Congress considers sex with animals a criminal offense. The bill states that anyone engaging in sexual relations with an animal can face imprisonment, fines, and a ban from working in the animal industry.

The proposal was drafted by Senator Esmeralda Hernández and approved by the Congress of the South American country. With this, the proposal has reached the final phase and only needs to be ratified by the president to become law.

Sex with animals punishable by law

Under the legislative proposal, perpetrators of bestiality can receive a prison sentence of 48 to 55 months, accompanied by fines ranging from 30 to 50 times the current monthly minimum wage, as well as a professional ban of two to four years for professions related to animals. In the presence of aggravating circumstances, the sentence may be increased to a maximum of 140 months. These include acts that take place in public spaces, in the presence of minors, or that are recorded for pornographic purposes.

According to Hernández, sexual abuse of animals must not be normalized, and she warns that sex with animals often causes serious harm to the animal. The senator therefore emphasizes the need to introduce criminal sanctions. Esmeralda Hernández:

We must not normalize the sexual abuse of animals, which almost always leads to their death. Dogs, cats, chickens, donkeys, and all kinds of other animals are victims daily in Colombia, and we must not tolerate that.

Esmerálda Hernandez after the final round of voting in the Colombian Chamber of Deputies on criminalizing sex with animals.

Information campaigns

In addition to criminal measures, the new law also provides for the development of information and awareness campaigns. The aim of this is to inform citizens about the classification of crimes and the legal consequences.

Prevention of child abuse

Senator Hernández also points out the importance of this law for the prevention of other forms of violence. The senator is referring to scientific research which has shown that some child rapists have previously committed sexual abuse of animals. The new law would therefore also contribute to the prevention of sexual abuse of children.

Sources:

• Portfolio
• The Colombian

©AnimalsToday.nl Jennie Cools – Regional Editor Latin America

Understanding Bestiality

Bestiality, also known as zoophilia, is the act of engaging in sexual activity with animals. It is a taboo practice that has been the subject of much debate and controversy. Many people consider it a form of animal abuse and a violation of animal rights. Others argue that it is a personal choice and should not be criminalized

The Legal Status of Bestiality Around the World

The legality of bestiality varies from country to country. Some countries have strict laws that prohibit any form of sexual activity with animals, while others have more relaxed laws that allow certain forms of sexual contact. In some countries, the legal status of bestiality is unclear or ambiguous.

Bestiality Laws in North America

In North America, bestiality is illegal in most states and provinces. In the United States, bestiality is a criminal offense in 37 states, while in Canada, it is a criminal offense under the Criminal Code. The penalties for bestiality vary depending on the severity of the offense and can range from fines to imprisonment.

Bestiality Laws in Europe

In Europe, the legal status of bestiality varies from country to country. Some countries, such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, the Netherlands, have strict laws that prohibit any form of sexual activity with animals. Other countries, such as Denmark and Sweden, allow certain forms of sexual contact with animals under certain circumstances.

Bestiality Laws in Asia 

In Asia, the legal status of bestiality varies widely. In some countries, such as India and Pakistan, bestiality is illegal and punishable by law. In other countries, such as Japan and Thailand, the legality of bestiality is unclear or ambiguous. 

Bestiality Laws in Africa

In Africa, bestiality is illegal in most countries. The penalties for bestiality vary depending on the severity of the offense and can range from fines to imprisonment.

Bestiality Laws in South America

In South America, the legal status of bestiality varies from country to country. In some countries, such as Brazil and Argentina, bestiality is illegal and punishable by law. In other countries, such as Colombia and Peru, the legality of bestiality is unclear or ambiguous.

Bestiality Laws in Australia and Oceania 

In Australia and Oceania, bestiality is illegal in most countries. The penalties for bestiality vary depending on the severity of the offense and can range from fines to imprisonment.

Countries with Ambiguous Bestiality Laws

Some countries have ambiguous bestiality laws that make it difficult to determine the legality of the practice. Examples of such countries include Thailand, Colombia, and Peru.

Controversies Surrounding Bestiality Laws

The legality of bestiality is a controversial issue that has been the subject of much debate. Supporters of bestiality argue that it is a personal choice and should not be criminalized. Opponents argue that it is a form of animal abuse and a violation of animal rights.

The Psychological and Societal Impacts of Bestiality

The psychological and societal impacts of bestiality are complex and varied. Some studies suggest that people who engage in bestiality may suffer from psychological disorders, while others suggest that it may be a harmless sexual behavior. The societal impacts of bestiality are also controversial, with some arguing that it may lead to the normalization of animal abuse.

Conclusion: The Future of Bestiality Laws 

The future of bestiality laws is uncertain. As society becomes more accepting of alternative sexual practices, the legality of bestiality may come into question. However, it is likely that bestiality will continue to be a taboo practice that is illegal in most countries around the world.

In a crackdown on illegally trafficked 'trophy pets' rescued in Israel, the lions Ben Tzur and Ori will go to Animal Defenders International Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa

 

Dear Friends, Feeling a little exhausted but positive! Founders of Animal Defenders International ADI :  Yesterday, Tim and I returned from a whistle-stop 36 hours in Israel, preparing for the relocation of lions Ori and Ben Tzur to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. The lions were tiny cubs when they were rescued by Israel’s Nature & Parks Authority (NPA) in a crackdown on illegally trafficked ‘trophy pets’ that also saw a staggering sixty grivet monkeys seized. This rescue is another blow against wildlife trafficking and a chance to create awareness about wildlife pets. We took over the rescue at very short notice after Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary was burned in a wildfire, leaving nowhere for the boys – we also evacuated two of their lions Elsa and Lei-ah, while Panthera Africa is being rebuilt. https://voordierenblogger.blogspot.com/2026/01/yesterday-horrific-wildfire-ripped.html We still do not know how long the evacuated lions will be fed and cared for by ADI but anticipate it will be months or even a year away. So, with Ben Tzur and Ori coming to ADIWS as their first proper home for an indefinite period, we agreed it would therefore be in their best welfare interests to remain at ADIWS for life, rather than settle in, build trust with their carers, only to be uprooted for a 15+ hour journey to another location at some point. The South African CITES authority, who we must commend for the speed they have worked on this, also required that the import be to their permanent home. Animal Defenders Wildlife Sanctuary ( ADIWS ) A big project to take on, and one that will impact our other work. However, your support shows it has been the right choice. Hence, we were off to Israel for 36 hours this week. We have been working intensely since mid-January: hours securing permits, an inspection by the CITES authority and habitat modifications and preparing travel crates in case needed. We had a very productive meeting with the NPA team, planning the relocation, learning about the characters of the lions, feeding routines and so on. It may not seem as exciting as the actual rescues and relocations, but meetings, planning and coordination are what ensure animals are moved safely. We also got to see a little of their work at a local nature reserve returning vultures and other animals to the wild. Seeing Ori and Ben Tzur made all of the hard work worthwhile. These two youngsters will be growing up in Africa! Ori is quite shy and Ben Tzur is extremely friendly, confident and looks after Ori. The NPA team said he had brought Ori out of himself. Sadly, Ben Tzur has been made utterly dependent on humans and craves attention, wanting the social contact he would get from other lions. The traffickers drag the babies from their mothers when they should be suckling and receiving important nutrients and learning from their mothers. When you see people on social media pretending the animals adore them as they crave attention it is a lie. It is learned dependency born of being deprived of the relationships they really need. But there was a very important first impression seeing Ben Tzur and Ori – these are not tiny babies anymore! They are at least 10 months old, and huge. At the zoo they are being taught crate familiarisation. Each day they are fed in the travel crates, the doors are closed and they are given treats while inside - you will have seen us doing this as we prepare for a big lion or tiger move. This is the best way, as it enables loading without sedation and means the animals are calm and less stressed during journeys. We reviewed the process but unfortunately it confirmed the cubs are now too big for these crates. We are looking to resolve this by sending our crates or with construction of new crates in Israel. We hope this will be a minor setback and not add too much cost to the rescue. I still hope that the move will be before the end of February. We really need your support for this additional rescue and have a very narrow timeframe to raise the funds needed, including what will be the biggest cost to ADI – feeding and caring for these boys for the next 20 years. Please donate for Ori and Ben Tzur. Donate here Yours for the animals Jan Creamer, President

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Adorable photo's and video of lions Tarzan and Tanya rescued from a circus in Guatemala, devoted to each other the 'wildlife sanctuary sweethearts' have both passed away

Animal Defenders International  ( ADI )

It is with great sadness that I am writing to inform you that our dear Tarzan has passed away, a month after his beloved Tanya. The two lions, rescued by ADI from a circus in Guatemala seven years ago, had been inseparable and their devotion to each other won the hearts of people all over the world. They became known as the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary Sweethearts. Relive their incredible journey from a circus cage in Guatemala to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa. Tarzan had suffered from arthritis for a very long time, however thanks to Dr. Peter Caldwell, this had been managed and as recently as April, Tarzan and Tanya were enjoying the best days of their lives. In May, Tarzan’s health began to deteriorate further. Dr. Caldwell adapted his pain medications and continued to update them in subsequent months. A number of measures were taken to make Tarzan more comfortable, including heating and a raised floor in Tarzan and Tanya’s outdoor den. Many of us feared Tarzan may be the first to pass, and worried how this would affect Tanya. But Tarzan slowly bounced back, nursed by Tanya, and they roamed their beautiful habitat together again. However, Tanya’s health then rapidly deteriorated. It was as if once Tarzan was up on his feet again, she let go. She passed away in August, from cancer. Tarzan clearly missed his soul mate but seemed to be coping. As part of the grief protocols, he enjoyed the extra treats (especially his ice lollies made of blood and water), and special attention, and he continued to slowly wander around his habitat and lie beneath the trees in his favourite spots. The lions either side of him, David, Shujaa and Saham, seemed to mark Tanya’s passing, roaring and Tarzan would roar back loudly. He had good days and bad days, but when Tarzan stopped taking his meds, was eating less, slowing down and becoming more uncomfortable, we felt the end was near. It was time to let him go, so Dr. Caldwell came to the sanctuary. Tarzan passed away peacefully in the place that he loved and had such happy times with Tanya, surrounded by love with the ADIWS team gathered to say goodbye. As he passed there was a loud clap of thunder over the sanctuary, which some of the team said must surely be Tanya, welcoming him back. The sanctuary is mourning the loss of these two inspirational warriors. Tarzan and Tanya’s loyalty and devotion helped them through the hell of the circus and saw them come home to Africa to enjoy their golden years in peace, in their native homeland. We hope that you will fondly remember the life that you helped to give Tarzan, alongside his Tanya, in their native homeland for seven precious years.

LOVE CONQUERS ALL: Tarzan and Tanya's story of love, devotion and loyalty (video)

We are heartbroken to announce that our dear Tanya, Tarzan’s lifetime companion and protector, has passed away. Tanya was 15-16 years old and rescued from a circus in Guatemala with her lifelong love, Tarzan. Tanya was taken into hospital this week after becoming unwell. Dr Caldwell said he felt nauseous on seeing her scans and x-rays, knowing what this would mean – Tanya had a lymphoma in her spleen which had spread and was impacting her intestine, putting pressure on her internal organs, and causing respiratory distress. It was not operable, we had to let her go.

	As many will know from our posts over the years, sadly, cancer is common in our circus survivors. Their terrible existence in the circus is all high stress levels, bare boards and bars, no room to move, nothing of interest, frustration, abuse and malnutrition; all of this impacts their health. Peter advised this type of lymphoma spreads rapidly and then hits with a multitude of symptoms; in this case it was a sudden lack of appetite, constipation and her breathing. In the 48 hours before she was taken into hospital, Tarzan was nursing and protecting her. He has been calm and not stressed since she left and we now believe he was aware she was dying. Our team is following our grief protocols with Tarzan to help him through his loss.

	How Tanya and Tarzan Got Away from the Circus Tanya and Tarzan stole people’s hearts around the world with their incredible devotion to each other and displays of affection. Together, they saw each other through the worst of times in a circus in Guatemala and the best of times in the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS), South Africa. https://adiwildlifesanctuary.org.za/ Seven years ago, Tanya and her beloved Tarzan were rescued during ADI’s Operation Liberty, when, with Guatemalan officials, we seized all the wild animals from circuses to enforce the Guatemala Government’s animal circus ban.  We found them in a tiny, bare cage the size of a queen bed, on the back of a truck. Tanya and Tarzan’s circus existence was brutal – a lifetime of people hitting, shouting, screaming, being pushed in and out of tiny cages, and performances. No respite. Nothing of interest to engage these highly intelligent, emotional beings. No veterinary care. Malnourished, with food so poor it could barely sustain life.

	Nevertheless, Tanya was always brave, a tiny, ferocious protector and defender of her beloved Tarzan. In a foolish and ignorant move, the circus allowed a full-grown male tiger into the same space as full-grown Tarzan. The tiger attacked and Tarzan fought for his life. Tanya fought to defend her Tarzan and came out of the fight with her ear torn and covered in scars. In the bloody encounter, Tarzan’s bottom lip was torn from his face and healed hanging from his chin.

	When they arrived at the ADI Temporary Rescue Unit (TRU) in Guatemala from the circus, young lioness Sasha (from another circus) was in the next exercise enclosure and approached the fence to see the huge, handsome Tarzan; feisty little Tanya threw herself between Tarzan and Sasha, making it clear he was hers! Following 18 months in ADI’s TRU, in January 2020 we flew 17 lions and tigers, including Tarzan and Tanya, to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS) in South Africa. It was one of our most complex journeys, via Mexico, Belgium and Qatar with Tarzan and Tanya sharing a pallet so they could see each other. Reunited in the ADIWS, Tanya first saw Tarzan when she was at the top of a platform, and jumped right on top of him! Watch the video of that rescue and their journey home.

	Home in Africa, the pair loved life in the 4-acre Augie Habitat at ADIWS, playing with toys, sitting in shade of the little woodland, watching the world go by from the top of their platforms, roaring out the day’s news with the neighbours, and – most enjoyable – taking their time to walk ever-so-slowly when called in for their food or treats with supplements/meds. They had quickly noticed the human carers are not allowed to move on until they had their meds and food! Dr Caldwell performed a ground-breaking lip lift on Tarzan, re-attaching his lip as much as was possible. We took Tanya to the hospital as well to keep him company, and the video of her nuzzling his face on their return to their habitat at ADIWS was very special.

	They would sleep holding each other, and gave each other great big, washy wet kisses. Over the years, Tanya remained as feisty and protective of Tarzan as when they arrived; during the Facebook lives, we got used to her grumbling and growling if she felt the camera was getting too close to Tarzan! In recent weeks, she watched over and nursed Tarzan as he struggled with osteoarthritis, and then, we noticed Tarzan did the same when she got sick. Their love and loyalty will forever be an inspiration to us all. We will miss you, Tanya.

	Thank you to everyone who made their life at ADIWS possible. Today, it is heartbreaking, but always remember the precious seven years of happiness you gave them. We know that many supporters like to give in memoriam donations when this happens, so if you would like to remember Tanya and help us continue to look after Tarzan you can donate here.

	Yours for the animals

	Jan Creamer, President