Europeans pay big for barnyard sex

Editor's note: Parental discretion is advised for this story. It includes material many will consider offensive.

Is it just the latest alternate lifestyle?

Denmark's animal bordellos – in which people pay for sex with horses and other beasts – are advertising on the 'Net and drawing customers from as far away as Norway, Germany, Holland and Sweden.

As long as no one gets hurt – including the animals – Denmark won't prosecute. Neither Denmark and Norway have any laws banning the practice of bestiality – at least not yet.

The proprietors – and presumably customers as well – have convinced themselves and the governments involved that the animals are experienced and welcome the chance for this intimate interaction with another species.

Danish animal owner offers his horse to journalist posing as potential client

Aftenposten and 24timer are reporting it costs between $85 and $170 for some animal action.

Torunn Kn?velsrud, the Norwegian food safety authority's section chief for animal welfare, expressed skepticism that animals could welcome sex with people.

"It could be that the animals don't really care," Kn?velsrud said. "But I think it is in the nature of the case that animals will often be victims of injury, stress or suffering in connection with sexual acts with humans. Either that they are held fast, or frightened, or suffer pain or physical injury."

The animal bordellos could soon find themselves forced underground, however. A new Norwegian Animal Protection Act is being considered that includes proposals from the Norwegian Animal Welfare Alliance and others prohibiting sexual intercourse with animals.

"The acts provoke moral disgust," Kn?velsrud. "The question is whether immorality should be made illegal. The FSA group discussing the new animal protection act has been in disagreement about this."

A farmer who sells animal sex said he is extremely surprised that foreigners are ready to travel so far for it.

"But the clients tell us that it is much simpler to buy animal sex in Denmark than in their own country," a horse owner from Nord-Jylland told the newspaper.

A new dissertation from the Institute of Criminology at the University of Oslo showed that Norwegian veterinarians know of at least 124 cases of animal sex abuse in Norway. The thesis reports that 22 percent of Norwegian veterinarians suspect or are sure that they have treated animals that have been sexually abused by humans.

Peter Sand?e, chairman of the Council on the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said that it is difficult to determine the extent of the problem and how many owners actually lease their animals for sexual purposes.

"It's hard to get a handle on animal sex because the problem crosses over borders," he said. "I realize the phenomenon exists and has a certain scope, and that knowledge will be included in the discussions about how we think the law ought to be changed."

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