A blind man faces charges related to the alleged rape of his guide dog today in a Tallahassee courtroom, and an animal-rights group is demanding he be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Alan Yoder, 29, actually will be charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct, specifically a "breach of the peace, by engaging in sexual activity with a guide dog," because Florida has no law prohibiting sex with animals.
Yesterday, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent an urgent plea to Assistant State Attorney Owen McCaul, urging him to throw the book at Alan Yoder of Tallahassee.
The dog, a yellow Labrador named Lucky, has been adopted out to a permanent new home.
According to PETA, Yoder allegedly invited a woman to join him in the act. Tallahassee police report Yoder admitted to performing sex acts on the animal and willingly gave up the animal before charges were adjudicated.
"Studies show that offenders who commit bestiality often go on to commit sex crimes against humans," says PETA Casework Division Manager Martin Mersereau. "The community should follow this case closely because anyone capable of this kind of cruelty poses a definitive risk, not just to animals, but to fellow human beings."
PETA is asking that if convicted, Yoder be prohibited from owning or harboring animals, and that authorities seize any other animals currently in his custody. PETA is also asking Yoder be required to undergo a thorough psychological evaluation followed by mandatory counseling.
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, 22-year-old Stacy Cintron, a recent graduate of Florida State University, has adopted the 70-pound dog.
Cintron, the paper reported, learned of the dog's plight through her boss, the wife of a Tallahassee policeman.
"She said, 'We have to save this dog,'" Cintron told the Tallahassee paper. "So we went to take a look at him. He seemed so sad, but as soon as he got on a leash he was excited and bouncy and ready to get out of there," she said.