Missouri Laws 566.111 – Sex with an animal, penalties
1. A person commits the offense of sex with an animal if he or she engages in sexual conduct with an animal.
2. The offense of sex with an animal is a class A misdemeanor unless the person has previously been found guilty of an offense under this section or has previously been found guilty of an offense in another jurisdiction which would constitute an offense under this section, in which case the offense is a class E felony.
Attorney's Note
Under the Missouri Laws, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class E felony | up to 4 years | up to $10,000 |
| Class A misdemeanor | up to 1 year | up to $2,000 |
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 566.111
- Civil forfeiture: The loss of ownership of property used to conduct illegal activity.
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of the statutes, mean the section next preceding or next following that in which the reference is made, unless some other section is expressly designated in the reference. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
- Sexual conduct: sexual intercourse, deviate sexual intercourse or sexual contact. See Missouri Laws 566.010
3. In addition to any penalty imposed or as a condition of probation the court may:
(1) Prohibit the offender from harboring animals or residing in any household where animals are present during the period of probation; or
(2) Order all animals in the offender’s possession subject to a civil forfeiture action under chapter 513; or
(3) Order psychological evaluation and counseling of the offender at the offender’s expense.
4. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit generally accepted animal husbandry, farming and ranching practices or generally accepted veterinary medical practices.
5. For purposes of this section, the following terms mean:
(1) “Animal”, every creature, either alive or dead, other than a human being;
(2) “Sexual conduct with an animal”, any touching of an animal with the genitals or any touching of the genitals or anus of an animal for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the person’s sexual desire.