# Sex with an animal **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 16, 2016, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236 "2016-02-16T01:51:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gejechpasu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/67e7ee/32.png) [@gejechpasu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gejechpasu)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/1 "2016-02-16T01:51:21Z")
Good evening, Simply wondering if any of your statistics take into consideration canine digital manipulation? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/2 "2016-02-16T01:58:35Z")
Column in question. [Has 1 in 8 people had sex with an animal?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2387/has-1-in-8-people-had-sex-with-an-animal) ---
**Author:** ![gejechpasu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/67e7ee/32.png) [@gejechpasu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gejechpasu)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/3 "2016-02-16T01:59:51Z")
Yes. Sorry, new here. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/4 "2016-02-16T23:01:19Z")
Probably not - dogs generally aren’t good at math. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/5 "2016-02-16T23:08:16Z")
Since the definitions used in some of the statistics in the article qualify “to the point of orgasm” then that’s probably the qualifier you’re looking for. But I think all of the numbers are self-reported, so the decision of what qualifies or not is largely made by the person answering the question. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/6 "2016-02-16T23:15:55Z")
I’m sure many of you have figured out by now that my title, Elephant Whisperer, is just a euphemism. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/7 "2016-02-16T23:33:51Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I’m sure many of you have figured out by now that my title, Elephant Whisperer, is just a euphemism. _Sssssssuuure it is!_ ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/8 "2016-02-17T00:16:21Z")
Why did you feel the need to tell us that? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/9 "2016-02-17T00:45:57Z")
Bragging? ---
**Author:** ![HeXen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@HeXen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeXen)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/10 "2016-02-17T02:41:14Z")
wtf just happened here? ---
**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/11 "2016-02-17T18:16:11Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > Since the definitions used in some of the statistics in the article qualify “to the point of orgasm” then that’s probably the qualifier you’re looking for. But I think all of the numbers are self-reported, so the decision of what qualifies or not is largely made by the person answering the question. How does something like this get _self reported_? Is there a phone number you can call to boast about your _accomplishment_? Do they scan the letters in Penthouse Magazine (This never happened to me before, but…)? You certainly couldn’t do this through phone surveys. > [@](#): > > Hello, I’m taking a survey. In the last month, did anybody in your household digitally stimulate a dog to the point of orgasm? Hello? Hello? There are programs that scan tweets for up and coming social trends .That could be it. And, it would also explain why I do my utmost to avoid Twitter: #hadsexwithrover ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/12 "2016-02-17T18:35:02Z")
> [@qazwart](#): > > How does something like this get _self reported_? Is there a phone number you can call to boast about your _accomplishment_? Do they scan the letters in Penthouse Magazine (This never happened to me before, but…)? All kinds of psychology and sociology data relies on self-reported information. Probably the simplest option is to hand everyone a survey that they complete anonymously so they don’t feel pressured to tell you what they think you want to hear. One of Cecil’s statistics comes from the staff and patients of a psychiatric hospital, so it would be easy to hand out such a questionnaire to everyone. From a scientific standpoint, collecting the data is the easy part. To actually make meaningful conclusions, you have to be careful about how your group is selected so that they represent the population you want to talk about. ---
**Author:** ![HeXen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@HeXen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeXen)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/13 "2016-02-17T22:23:16Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > All kinds of psychology and sociology data relies on self-reported information. Probably the simplest option is to hand everyone a survey that they complete anonymously so they don’t feel pressured to tell you what they think you want to hear. One of Cecil’s statistics comes from the staff and patients of a psychiatric hospital, so it would be easy to hand out such a questionnaire to everyone. > > From a scientific standpoint, collecting the data is the easy part. To actually make meaningful conclusions, you have to be careful about how your group is selected so that they represent the population you want to talk about. And some flat out lie for shits and giggles. I lied on surveys when i was younger, back then when you got survey’s in the mail, they used to even send you 2 quarters with it, I guess to get you to do it . In 8th grade we took one asking about drugs/cigarrettes/sex…etc and I didn’t know any other student that didn’t lie or exaggerate for fun. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/14 "2016-02-17T22:43:23Z")
> [@HeXen](#): > > And some flat out lie for shits and giggles. [And some leave their computers unattended.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=333640) If it’s really true that 1 in 8 people has had sex with an animal, that animal must be getting pretty tired by now. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/15 "2016-02-18T00:38:11Z")
Check peoples coat pockets to make sure they’re not cut off. ---
**Author:** ![eastcheap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8491ac/32.png) [@eastcheap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eastcheap)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/16 "2016-02-19T20:52:08Z")
> [@qazwart](#): > > You certainly couldn’t do this through phone surveys. > > “Hello, I’m taking a survey. In the last month, did anybody in your household digitally stimulate a dog to the point of orgasm? Hello? Hello?” You know, some people make a living doing that. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/17 "2016-02-20T00:18:27Z")
> [@eastcheap](#): > > You know, some people make a living doing that. Does that count? Obligatory bull-semen collection video (could be considered NSFW): [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIZ\_B4aBnpE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIZ_B4aBnpE) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/18 "2016-02-20T02:41:24Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > [And some leave their computers unattended.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=333640) It’s been 10+ years, but **twickster** called it spot on! > [@Sex with sheep is fun.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-sheep-is-fun/320355/11): > > Option 3: We tease you about this regularly for years to come. That gets my vote, anyway. (Expect lots of lamb-themed gifts when the baby comes!) ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-with-an-animal/746236/19 "2016-02-23T07:03:06Z")
[QUOTE=a friend] “I have not had sexual relations with that animal” [/quote] … it depends what the meaning of “is” is…