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Florida's Bestiality Law Doesn't Forbid Oral Sex

After years of sex with animals being technically legal in Florida, the legislature finally passed an anti-bestiality law last year. Eric Antunes looked like he'd be one of the first people prosecuted under the new law when police discovered pictures of him engaged in sex acts with his girlfriend's three-legged dog on...

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After years of sex with animals being technically legal in Florida, the legislature finally passed an anti-bestiality law last year. Eric Antunes looked like he'd be one of the first people prosecuted under the new law when police discovered pictures of him engaged in sex acts with his girlfriend's three-legged dog on his cell phone. Turns out he won't face beastiality charges, though, since the law does not actually forbid oral sex with animals. 


Antunes, a 29-year-old Clearwater resident, was originally targeted by police after they got a tip he was hoarding child porn on his computer. Though, after they searched his cellphone they found graphic pictures of him molesting his girlfriend's dog. The girlfriend, by the way, was the Medical Director of the Pinellas County Human Society, though she was unaware of what was going on. Antunes also worked at the shelter. 

Assistant State Attorney Beverly Andringa tells The Tampa Bay Times that Antunes will not be prosecuted under the bestiality law. 

Why? Well, to be it bluntly, its still legal to blow your dog in Florida. Yes, the law does not outlaw oral sex with the animals. Update: Riptide has since learned that in this particular case, Antunes was on the receiving end. 

Only one of the six photos found of Antunes' cellphone actually met the strict criteria of the law, and officials aren't sure if the photo was taken before or after the law went into effect in October, 2011. 

"We need to close up this loose loophole," Rick Chaboudy, executive director of the Suncoast Animal League told the Times. "This is one of those crimes that you can't possibly imagine that it goes on, but I'm sure at one point in time, somebody said the same thing about child pornography."

Antunes will however still face multiple charges related to child pornography. 

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