So Germany is to ban “bestiality” under animal welfare law, according to yesterday’s Guardian.

Like young children, animals cannot give “informed consent”. Interesting, then, that Peter Singer, pioneering philosopher of animal rights, has not condemned sex with animals.

Some years ago he reviewed a book on the subject. Among other interesting points, he said this:

…sex with animals does not always involve cruelty. Who has not been at a social occasion disrupted by the household dog gripping the legs of a visitor and vigorously rubbing its penis against them? The host usually discourages such activities, but in private not everyone objects to being used by her or his dog in this way, and occasionally mutually satisfying activities may develop.

I recommend reading his entire piece:

The German ban appears to be an attempt to deflect attention away from real animal rights issues:

Agriculture minister Ilse Aigner was said to have introduced the amendment to appease animal rights campaigners angry that more is not being done to tackle perceived animal rights abuses in the agricultural industry. Campaigners wants bans on cutting off piglets’ tails, and the castration of piglets and branding of horses without anaesthesia. (from Guardian report)