(WTOL) - Did you know it's legal to have sex with an animal in Ohio? That is about to change because of a bill signed by Governor John Kasich.
The new law not only prohibits a person from engaging in sexual-related activities with animals, but also stops the selling or purchasing of animals for sex. The law goes into great detail about the kind of activity, which is not limited strictly to sex.
The punishment for such acts with animals can include the court seizing the animal or requiring the offender to undergo psychological evaluation or counseling.
Workers with the Toledo Area Humane Society say it is about time.
"It's a good tool to have," said Steve Heaven, executive director of the Toledo Area Humane Society. "There are going to be times when we're going to come across cases where it looks like untoward has been happening to the animal, or there had been a complaint where a member of the family or something like that has actually been engaged in these things, and it's nice to actually be able to do something about it."
Morgan Brown says the Humane Society is responding to more and more community calls about animal abuse, so she was just hired as the third cruelty investigator.
"We can respond to calls quicker and overall, cut down on the amount of animal cruelty in our county," said Brown.
Now, Brown and the team will add sexual conduct with animals to their investigations.
"If anybody out there is suspecting that of somebody they know, they can always report it to the Humane Society and we can look into it further," said Brown.
The law takes effect in 90 days.
