Yes, I understand that sex with animals is taboo and irks most people out, but that doesn't make it cruel, or should consider it a crime. A lot of people jump to the first problem that comes to mind as a rationalization why it's wrong. Here is where the arguments fall short and the facts.

The popular one is to compare animals to kids, probably because so many people see and treat their animal companions as kids. Huge problem with that, kids are not sexually mature, whereas all adults and grown animals ARE sexually mature. Likewise, animals hunt, have sex, reproduce, look after their young, and care for themselves in the wild, unlike children.

Intelligence and communication are also a popular argument to make, as if animals don't have any and therefor can not (willfully?) participate. Good luck going up against an increasingly growing wealth of knowledge about the sophistication of animal communication and intelligence. So far our understanding of animal intelligence seems to be limited more by our ability to accurately measure animal intelligence rather then the limit of their cognitive abilities. Regardless, having less or a different kind of knowledge doesn't stop two individuals from enjoying sex. In addition, anyone with a close relationship to a companion animal generally has a good knowledge of how they communicate. Even the densest of people can understand when an animal is excited, scared, or ahem horny.

The last one I'll cover is one that comes out of the disgust factor. The way people describe it, you are almost certain to catch a parasite, disease or germs as soon as you come into sexual contact with an animal. The reality is, a zoophile and his or her animal partner is less at risk then a typical person. Germs are very species specific, so kissing fido is probably safer then kissing your wife/husband. Parasites in animals are easily prevented (or treatable). Again, most diseases are species specific, or aren't passed solely by sex. Finally, no risk of babies. Different species can have sex but aren't able to reproduce.

The topic of bestiality has been a taboo in our society for a long time but the stigma behind it isn't justified. All the latest science suggest that the majority of mammals are intelligent individuals and can enjoy sex just as much as we do. Studies on zoophiles and zoosexuals have only shown that they are misunderstood, understudied, and are a diverse group that functions well in society without a problem.

There are several common misunderstandings and bad perceptions about the subject of bestiality. Sex with animals CAN be abusive and cruel, but the same can be said for all other forms of sex. Often, the only time it is reported on is in the rare instance of an animal abuser that is caught molesting and harming an animal. So the publics perception is that the act only happens in an abusive and criminal context, when on the contrary, their are many more zoophiles in the world (that the public doesn't know about) that love their animal partners deeply and put their animal companions needs first.

First off animals are not robots. Behaviorism is an outdated way of explaining animal behavior that is not used anymore. Explaining away animal behavior as "just fallowing instincts" is oversimplifying the reality that these are complex and intelligent individuals each with their own unique personality.

Often they are compared to children because of their position in our society, and from hence we hear the argument that they can't consent and that sex with animals is akin to child abuse. The flaw in this argument is that while there are some similarities, the differences are much greater. Namely that adult animals can hunt for their own food, care for themselves, raise their own young and most importantly are sexually mature.

The other argument commonly used is that animals can't communicate and thus can't consent to sex. Anyone with any level of experience and awareness of other species should know this is false. Most all the species in the animal kingdom have some forum of language, and some have even learned some of our own. Just in the day to day action of a pet owner interacting with a dog sees volumes of information communicated through body language, behaviors and vocalizations. It requires communication for a dog to let you know when its hungry, needs to go to the bathroom, or wants to play. Why would this apply to every other behavior and interaction with animals except for sex?

Occasionally people cite health concerns as a reason bestiality should not be legal. Maybe that is because some people associate "lower" animals as dirty. The only likely risk is ticks, otherwise most kept animals are vetted for and kept clean. Because animal companions are a different species, there isn't a chance of getting pregnant, viruses and colds are usually too species specific, and human germs are far more dangerous to us then a canines germs.

For those who are worried about the welfare and rights of animals, we should look to the billions of meat and dairy animals that suffer systematic animal abuse and cruel methods of slaughter. Hunting of hundreds of thousands is allowed of almost every wild animal in the food chain (if they aren't already nearly extinct) and abandoned and unwanted domesticated animals die by the millions in shelters. Our focus should be on solving those problems instead of attacking a minority with an unpopular orientation.

Animals may not know math on the level we do, or be able to build homes to the hight our society does, but when it comes to personality, feelings, companionship and love, they are definitely our equals. So no, sex with animals is not wrong when the two sides are consenting and enjoying their relationship together.