Since 1969, zoophilia has been legal in Germany. Animal rights groups and mostly everybody else don’t particularly like that it’s legal, but it’s legal nonetheless. Now the German courts are looking to reverse that decision and ban zoophilia, but practitioners are fighting the proposed change.

The Guardian reports that the Zoophile Engagement for Tolerance and Information group is leading the lawsuit against the state to keep bestiality legal. The proposed law states that it’s in the animal’s best interest to ban the practice, and that engaging in sexual acts with animals is tantamount to abuse. Michael Kiok, chairman of ZETA, says that is just not true, and that they “don’t do anything that the animal doesn’t want.” He also adds that “animals are easier to understand than women” as a reason to keep the practice legal for the reported 100,000 zoophiles in Germany.

Animal rights groups are understandably happy with the law, but its reported that they are not happy that Germany is still refusing to address reported “animal welfare struggles” within the agriculture industry.

Kiok reiterated this feeling by saying that zoophiles are being used as a scapegoat to draw attention away from abuses within the agricultural industry. He feels that the state’s insistence on punishing zoophiles, but leaving the agriculture industry alone is a double standard.

Regardless of the lawsuit, it’s likely that zoophilia will be banned in Germany. The practice is illegal in many countries, and is at least frowned upon in those where it’s not. There’s still hope, however, as these German citizens can move to the US. The practice may be against the law in many states, but other states have no laws regarding the practice whatsoever, including my own state of Kentucky.