%20(300%20%C3%97%20150%20px).png)
Posted at 12:15 p.m. on October 19, 2017
The Brillion News
DE PERE – State Representative Andre Jacque, R-De Pere, is introducing legislation that would make it a Class H felony for a human being to have sexual contact with an animal or to promote it. Penalties would increase if an adult gets a child to have sex contact with an animal.
Penalties would increase even more if the animal suffers or dies.
Jacque said only misdemeanor penalties are available in Wisconsin currently. His bill was drafted with input from prosecutors, law enforcement agencies, farmers and animal welfare groups.
He said a study of 44,000 adult sex offenders found that prior sexual abuse of animals in the Number One predictor for sexual abuse of a child.
In 23 other states, it is a felony for a person to sexually abuse animals.
Jacque suggested that lawmakers considering signing on to his bill become familiar with the cases of Sterling Rachwal, a Wisconsin man who currently faces animal abuse charges in Brown and Manitowoc counties. He has prior convictions in several other counties, all involving horses.
The photo accompanying this story is of Sterling Rachwal.