WV House passes bill to explicitly outlaw sexual contact with animals for first time in state code

By: Caity Coyne

Outlets: West Virginia Watch

Published: February 13, 2026

Words: 878

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 6 days ago

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Lawmakers in the state House of Delegates passed a bill Thursday that, as amended, will make having sexual contact with an animal explicitly illegal in West Virginia for the first time if enacted as a law.

House Bill 4725 would amend the state’s animal cruelty statutes to clarify what happens to an animal involved in a cruelty case. It would allow courts to order that an animal is returned to its owner if the …

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