Online essay, Facebook photos lead to bestiality charge

Thanks to a Vancouver man’s online essay defending zoophilia and hundreds of Facebook photos of his dogs, Canadian courts are pursuing a rare bestiality charge.

Brian Anthony Cutteridge, 37, is expected in court March 14.

“It’s a pretty serious charge, so we are pleased to see that go forward,” the SPCA’s Lorie Chortyk told the Vancouver Province. "Unfortunately bestiality does occur. It’s not uncommon for it to happen. What is rare is for us to have the evidence for the Crown to accept the charge."

The investigation began two years ago when a veterinarian who noticed an infection in one of Cutteridge’s dogs notified police, the Sun said.

During their investigation, officers uncovered videos of Cutteridge engaging in sexual acts with his dogs, CBC reported.

“The B.C. SPCA first started investigating this case back in 2010 when we received some information that this individual was sexually interacting with his dogs, which is illegal in Canada,” SPCA spokeswoman Marcie Moriarty told CBC.

Cutteridge has also published an essay online called “For the Love of Dog: On the Legal Prohibition of Zoophilia in Canada and the United States.”

“There is NO natural or constitutional right not to be offended, nor is there any justification for interfering in the private activities of consenting adults,” the essay says, the Sun reported.

This is the B.C. SPCA’s first bestiality case, said Moriarty.

“He feels very strongly that that should be something that’s legal,” she said. "He feels those relationship with his dogs are equivalent to a marriage-type relationship and that's not the case in Canada, thank goodness, and it can impact the welfare of the animals.”

The SPCA seized three dogs from Cutteridge, and found new homes for them. He filed a petition in B.C. Supreme Court to get the dogs back, but was unsuccessful.

“The dogs are safe and they are in good homes,” Chortyk said.

More from GlobalPost: Zimbabwe man says prostitute turned into a donkey