AB 666 Full Bill Text       AB 666 Bill History   

      SB 802 Full Bill Text      SB 802 Bill History      Talking Points   

    Find your WI State Representatives   

    What To Expect At A Public Hearing   

     AB 666, "Relating to: sexual contact with an animal and providing a criminal penalty," was introduced into the WI State Assembly on September 22nd, 2017 by Representatives Jacque, Kremer, Mursau, Sargent, Subeck, Tittl, Tusler and Wichgers; cosponsored by Senator Risser. It was immediately referred to the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety. Senator L. Taylor was added as a cosponsor on 1/23/18 and Representative Shankland was added as a cosponsor on 1/26/2018.

     The Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety public hearing on A.B. 666 held on January 25 was well attended, with a number of people speaking in favor of the bill, including shelter workers, law enforcement professionals, veterinarians, pet owners,and concerned citizens. To see the hearing live, please click here. (Testimony on AB 666 begins approximately at 00.42.) The bill was unanimously passed out of Committee and put to a vote in the entire Assembly on February 15th, where it also passed unanimously!

     The Senate companion bill, SB 802, was introduced on February 14th by Senators Risser and L. Taylor (who cosponsored AB 666), and cosponsored by Representatives Jacque, Kremer, Mursau, Sargent, Subeck, Tittl, Tusler and Wichgers. It was referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

     The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety public hearing was held on Wednesday, March 14, with a vote on the bill. The vote was unanimous in support of SB 802! We are hoping that it will be up for a vote in the full Senate on March 20th -- but we don’t want to take anything for granted.

      AB 666/ SB 802 seeks to strengthen Wisconsin’s outdated and weak law on the sexual abuse of animals. The weakness of Wisconsin’s current law recently became the subject of national attention, when a man named Sterling Rachwal, who has been sexually abusing Wisconsin animals for over 35 years, received a sentencing that was pitifully light and will do nothing to protect him from harming again.

     This bill is not pleasant reading. Even though animal sexual abuse is often the subject of jokes, most of us are disgusted, if not downright sickened, by the very idea of it actually taking place. The internet -- Craig's list and the like as well as dedicated bestiality forums and sites -- makes it easy to "hook up" to either procure or supply animals for sex and the reality is, literally thousands of Wisconsinites solicit or offer animals – of many different species -- for sex online every year. Shocked at the numbers? We were.

     This is a horrendous act of cruelty, frequently with the animal at the very least being restrained (or in some cases, muzzled and having its legs secured in unnatural positions to allow easy "access" and prevent the animal from fighting back or attempting escape). Victims can be crippled, maimed, or killed outright; they are often scarred for life, emotionally or physically. It's not unheard of for family pets to be sexually abused as acts of domestic violence.

     Abuse of animals is videoed/ filmed for those who enjoy bestiality pornography, and videos can also involve children. Many of the perpetrators go on to sexually abuse humans, and some studies suggest that animal sexual abuse is the single strongest predictor of increased risk for committing child sexual abuse.

      AB 666/ SB 802 is being supported by the WI Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs Association, the Badger State Sheriffs Association, the WI Veterinary Medicine Association, and the WI Horse Council, as well as Wisconsin Federated Humane Societies and Humane Society of the US - WI.

    Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety   

Bill Summary:

     "Under this bill, it is a Class H felony to have sexual contact with an animal, to promote sexual contact with animals, to coerce another to have sexual contact with an animal, or to advertise, harbor, transport, provide, or obtain an animal for the purpose of having sexual contact with the animal.

     "In addition, it is a Class F felony to force, coerce, entice, or encourage a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual contact with an animal or a Class G felony if the child is over the age of 13 but under the age of 18.

     "It is also a Class F felony to have sexual contact with an animal in the presence of a child under the age of 13 or a Class G felony if the child is over the age of 13 but under the age of 18.

     "In additional, all felony classifications are increased for second or subsequent violations and if the violation results in the mutilation, disfigurement, or death of an animal.

     Under current law, it is a Class A misdemeanor for a person to commit an act of sexual gratification involving his or her sex organ and the sex organ, mouth, or anus of an animal, or involving his or her sex organ, mouth, anus, or other body part and the sex organ of an animal."

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

     Please call or email your WISCONSIN state SENATORS. (Click here to find your WI representatives ). Try to keep your message brief, and be sure to give your name, address, and phone number. Let your representative know that you are a constituent. Please, ALWAYS be polite and respectful. Name-calling, and rude or abusive letters or emails will hurt, rather than help, our cause.

• THANK Senator Risser and Senator L. Taylor for introducing this bill and let them know that you support it. If you are not a constituent of Sen. Risser or Sen. L. Taylor, please ask your WI State Senator to SUPPORT AB 666/ SB 802, which would make animal sexual abuse a Class F felony.

• If you want to give reasons for your position, please see our Talking Points and links for further information below!

• Please also take a moment to contact your WI state Assembly representative and THANK him/her for voting YES on this important piece of legislation.

     Also, please post your support on your Representative's and Senator's Facebook pages!

    Find your WI State Representatives   

    What To Expect At A Public Hearing   

Talking Points:

• The companion bill, AB 666, was unanimously passed by the Assembly on February 15th.

• Animal sexual abuse -- let's call it what it is, Animal RAPE -- is no joking matter. Literally thousands of Wisconsinites solicit or offer animals – of many different species -- for sex online every year.

• Animal rape, like rape of a human, is all about violence, control and exploitation. In addition to those who just enjoy sex with animals, animal sexual abuse can also be a component in domestic violence.

• Animal victims are often crippled, maimed, or scarred for life, emotionally or physically. Some die from their abuse -- or are killed outright as a part of the act.

• The weakness of Wisconsin’s current law recently became the subject of national attention, when a man named Sterling Rachwal, who has been sexually abusing Wisconsin animals for over 35 years, received a sentencing that was pitifully light and will do nothing to protect him from harming again. For more on this case, please click here. For Mr. Rachwal's sentencing, please click here.

• Currently, Wisconsin’s animal cruelty law only applies in cases where there is provable physical injury to the animal. Many acts of animal sexual abuse are filmed and discovered well after the incident occurs, so the requisite animal or medical evidence to substantiate physical injury cannot be recovered.

• Animals are trafficked, sold, and traded for sex and frequently used in the pornography industry. Trafficking animals for sex is not currently against the law in Wisconsin.

• AB 666/ SB 802 is being supported by the WI Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs Association, the Badger State Sheriffs Association, the WI Veterinary Medicine Association, and the WI Horse Council, as well as Wisconsin Federated Humane Societies and Humane Society of the US - WI.

• For a list of elements that are needed to strengthen and close loopholes in Wisconsin’s law, please see: Strengthen Wisconsin’s Law on Animal Sexual Abuse , Humane Society of the United States fact sheet.

• The Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety held a public hearing on A.B. 666 Thursday, January 25. The meeting was well attended, with over two hours of supportive testimony from shelter workers, law enforcement professionals, veterinarians, pet owners, and concerned citizens. (To see the hearing live, please click here. Testimony on AB 666 begins approximately at 00.42.)

  • Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety Public Hearing Materials -- read written statements from many of the individuals who spoke at the public hearing on 1/25/18.

  • Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety Public Hearing Materials-- read written statements from many of the individuals who spoke at the public hearing on 3/14/18.

• Animal Sexual Abuse Information & Resources: Warning, this site contains GRAPHIC descriptive language and case studies.

• Some studies show that animal sexual abuse is the single strongest predictor of increased risk for committing child sexual abuse.

• According to the HSUS, some studies have found high rates of sexual assault of animals in the backgrounds of serial sexual homicide perpetrators. This is one reason why bestiality and other forms of animal cruelty are now tracked by the FBI as a Group A offense in the National Incident Based Reporting System, in the same category as rape and murder. Establishing animal sexual abuse as a separate crime allows law enforcement to identify potentially dangerous sexual predators in their community.

• You might also politely remind your representatives that this is an election year, and voters are very interested in whether or not their elected officials really DO 'represent' the opinions and values of their constituents.

    AB 666 Full Bill Text       AB 666 Bill History   

      SB 802 Full Bill Text      SB 802 Bill History      Talking Points   

    Find your WI State Representatives