DENMARK TO BAN SEX WITH ANIMALS

Why are the Danes harassing the horses?

Denmark is planning to banish bestiality, following the recent examples of Germany and Norway, said the country’s food and agriculture minister. The bill was long-awaited both inside the country and abroad.

 “I have decided that we should ban sex with animals. That is happening for numerous reasons. The most important is that in the vast majority of cases it is an attack against the animals,” the food and agriculture minister, Dan Jørgensen, told Ekstra Bladet, a Danish tabloid.

According to Jørgensen, one of the factors that prompted his decision was the damage done to his country’s reputation which laws still allow sex between humans and animals.

“And under all circumstances, any doubts about it should go to the animals’ benefit,” he said. “They naturally cannot say no to going along with it. Therefore, it should be banned.”

Seventy-six percent of the Danish population support banning sex with animals, according to a recent poll, carried out by Gallup.

The bill, which also requires changes in the country’s welfare animal laws, was introduced this year.

The absence of a law on bestiality led to a growth in animal sex tourism industry in the country.

In the recent years the international community closely focused on the lack of bestiality law in the animal welfare system of the country.

"I don't think the Danish government is doing enough to protect the animals. They need to do something to protect zoophilia in Denmark," Karoline Lundstrom, a Danish animal rights activist says in a documentary shot by VICE in April.

Bestiality is illegal in many countries, including Belgium, Canada, Australia and India.

Sweden banned zoophilia in April 2014 in a move backed by the country’s Rural Affairs Minister, Eskil Erlandsson. "There should be no doubt whatsoever that bestiality is unacceptable," The Local cited him as saying.

In 2012 the same ban was passed in Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government introduced the new law against the practice, saying animals should not be used "for personal sexual activities or made available to third parties for sexual activities … thereby forcing them to behave in ways that are inappropriate to their species."

SEX ABUSE AGAINST HORSES ON THE RISE IN SWITZERLAND

Horses Dozing

Switzerland is seeing a worrying increase in the number of sex attacks carried out against animals and in particular horses. Figures showed cases of animal abuse rose to 1,709 in 2014, an increase of 1,542 from the previous 12 months.

The findings are worrying animal rights groups as it is a problem that seems to be getting worse. The foundation, known as Tier im Recht (Animals in Law), said the amount of abuse cases reported was triple compared to a decade ago. 

However, it seems as though horses are coming under particular threat, with almost 10 percent of cases maltreatment of the animals involving bestiality.

“This rate is relatively elevated compared with other types of animals,” Andreas Ruttimann, a legal expert with Tier im Recht, told the Local.

“A total of 105 cases of animal cruelty to horses was registered last year, up considerably from previous years, but probably below the actual number of incidents,” he added.

Worryingly, the group believes the actual figure could be much higher, given that around 150,000 people in Switzerland take part in equestrian activities. It also adds that there are more than 110,000 horses at 18,000 farms in the country.

The 20 Minuten newspaper reported that experts believe that as many as 10,000 people living in Switzerland are suspected of practicing zoophilia (sex with animals). Tier im Recht says the higher prosecution rates are down to tougher animal protection laws being introduced by the government, to protect their welfare. 

Switzerland has a population of just over 8 million, meaning 0.125 percent of the population have a penchant for zoophilia.

Editorial

HOUSING THE PEOPLE

A number of Parliamentarians have raised eye brows over the cost of houses in Ghana and expressed concern about the lack of access by the poor.

At current rates a two- bedroom affordable house is priced at US$ 29,000 way beyond the reach of most Ghanaians.

In our view, access to housing is a fundamental human right and the Government and state institutions need to explore ways of making houses available to the masses.

One way of reducing the cost of housing should be the use of local building materials such as black cement and bamboo.

“The Insight” also suggests that the use of volunteers in the building of houses for the masses would also help to reduce costs.

Is it possible for Ghana to learn from the Cuban example of setting up construction brigades?

The people need houses and it is their fundamental human right?