No modern country recognizes marriage between humans and non-humans, but throughout history people have sought ways to commit to an animal they loved in this way, often involving ceremonies which, whilst not legally binding, carry great personal significance. Such marriages as are allowed by tradition, or within a culture, are often symbolic or ritual, rather than the more usual recognition of an enduring and full relationship. This article describes country as a type of geographical or political entity. ... Matrimony redirects here. ... Human beings are defined variously in biological, spiritual, and cultural terms, or in combinations thereof. ... Trinomial name Homo sapiens sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Humans, or human beings, are bipedal apes belonging to the mammalian species Homo sapiens (Latin for wise man or knowing man) under the family Hominidae (known as the great apes). ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera Subregnum Eumetazoa Placozoa Orthonectida Rhombozoa Radiata (unranked) Ctenophora Cnidaria Bilateria (unranked) Acoelomorpha Myxozoa Superphylum Deuterostomia Chordata Hemichordata Echinodermata Chaetognatha Xenoturbellida Superphylum Ecdysozoa Kinorhyncha Loricifera Priapulida Nematoda Nematomorpha Onychophora Tardigrada Arthropoda Superphylum Platyzoa Platyhelminthes Gastrotricha Rotifera Acanthocephala Gnathostomulida Micrognathozoa Cycliophora Superphylum Lophotrochozoa Sipuncula Nemertea Phoronida Bryozoa Entoprocta... This refers to the act performed on a special occasion. ... This article is about law in society. ... Binding can mean: Binding (computer science) - a tie (for example) to certain names in programming languages Binding (knot) - A type of knot Binding (linguistics) - a property relating to anaphors (pronouns and R-expressions) and c-command Bookbinding - the protective cover of a book; and the art of constructing this Ski... The word tradition, comes from the Latin word traditio which means to hand down or to hand over. ... Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning to cultivate), generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. ... A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value, which is prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. ... Interpersonal relationships are social associations, connections, or affiliations between two or more people. ...

Despite this, there are numerous cases of people seeking to marry animals they loved, from the Roman Emperor Caligula often said to have both married his horse Incitatus and appointed it to the Senate, through to the 2005 case of a woman who married a dolphin, and a 2006 case of a Sudanese man who was ruled to be obligated to pay dowry and marry a goat following sexual activity with it. In addition there is significant folklore and myth on the subject. It is possible that some less well known religions, or older traditions, may indeed permit such marriages. Matrimony redirects here. ... The Roman Empire is the name given to both the imperial domain developed by the city-state of Rome and also the corresponding phase of that civilization, characterized by an autocratic form of government. ... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ... Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31, 12 – January 24, 41), most commonly known as Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynastyhe also liked to have sex with animals, ruling from 37 to 41. ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... Incitatus was the name of Roman emperor Caligulas favored horse. ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ... Cinderella (c. ... A dowry (also known as trousseau) is a gift of money or valuables given by the brides family to the grooms at the time of their marriage. ... Species See Species and subspecies The goat is a mammal in the genus Capra, which consists of nine species: the Ibex, the West Caucasian Tur, the East Caucasian Tur, the Markhor, and the Wild Goat. ... Human sexuality is the expression of sexual feelings. ... Folklore is the body of verbal expressive culture, including tales, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs current among a particular population, comprising the oral tradition of that culture, subculture, or group. ... // The word mythology (Greek: μυθολογία, from μυθος mythos, a story or legend, and λογος logos, an account or speech) literally means the (oral) retelling of myths – stories that a particular culture believes to be true and that use supernatural events or characters to explain the nature of the universe and humanity. ...

Law

No present-day National jurisdiction is known to allow marriage between humans and non-humans. They are not legally recognized and purported marriage ceremonies usually have no legislative validity. This is because in most legal systems, animals are viewed as chattels (property), and are therefore not considered to have capacity to comprehend marriage any more than a suitcase can, nor the personhood to enter into legal or other agreements. Additionally, in many customs, a marriage must be consummated, which in such a partnership would in many territories constitute an illegal act. One of the most influential doctrines in history is that all humans are divided into groups called nations. ... In law, jurisdiction (from the Latin jus, juris meaning law and dicere meaning to speak) is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area... In logic, the form of an argument is valid precisely if it cannot lead from true premises to a false conclusion. ... Personal property is a type of property. ... A typical suitcase A suitcase is a narrow box-shaped bag, usually made of cloth or vinyl that more or less keeps its shape, has a handle at one end and is used mainly for transporting clothes and other possessions during trips. ... In colloquial English, person is often synonymous with human. ... As a verb, consummate means to bring something to its completion, such as a transaction, concept, plan or action. ... A partnership is a type of business entity in which partners share with each other the profits or losses of the business undertaking in which all have invested. ... A territory is a defined area (including land and waters), usually considered to be a possession of an animal, person, organization, or institution. ... Illegal, or unlawful, is either prohibitted or not authorized by law. ...

Historical cases

Horse

• It is often said that the Roman Emperor Caligula both married his horse Incitatus. He also appointed it to the Senate, likely to show his disdain for that body.
• In some parts of Celtic Ireland, kings (often called "sacred kings") had to wed the local goddess of the land. A druidess was usually chosen to represent the land goddess as the king's wife, but one king in Donegal married a horse, a representative of their local goddess. [1]
• May 1998 - The Jerry Springer Show produced an episode titled "I married a horse". The show was ultimately not aired by many stations on the planned date, apparently due to concerns about the acceptability of broadcasting an episode in which a man admitted to a long term emotional and sexual relationship of this kind. The man and his horse later participated in a British documentary on the subject. [2]

The Roman Empire is the name given to both the imperial domain developed by the city-state of Rome and also the corresponding phase of that civilization, characterized by an autocratic form of government. ... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ... Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31, 12 – January 24, 41), most commonly known as Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynastyhe also liked to have sex with animals, ruling from 37 to 41. ... Incitatus was the name of Roman emperor Caligulas favored horse. ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ... Celts redirects here. ... Statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of the agriculture A goddess is a female deity, in contrast with a male deity known as a god. Many cultures have goddesses, sometimes alone, but more often as part of a larger pantheon that includes both the conventional genders and in some cases... Two druids, from an 1845 publication, based on a bas-relief found at Autun, France. ... Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall) is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. ... Statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of the agriculture A goddess is a female deity, in contrast with a male deity known as a god. Many cultures have goddesses, sometimes alone, but more often as part of a larger pantheon that includes both the conventional genders and in some cases... The Jerry Springer Show (first aired September 20, 1991) is an internationally known television tabloid talk show, hosted by Jerry Springer, a former politician. ...

Dog

• June 2003 - a nine year old Indian girl of the Santal (or 'Santhal') tribe of Khanyhan, near Calcutta was formally married to a dog, in order to ward off a bad omen. The wedding was attended by more than one hundred guests, who danced to the beating of drums and drank home-made liquor. The girl told Western press, "I have no regret in marrying the dog Bacchan. I am fond of the dog who moves around our locality," and tribal elders added she was free to remarry in future as an adult. [3]

This is apparently not uncommon; a second case of a four year old girl of the same tribe was reported the same month in Jharkhand. The mother stated, "To remove the evil eye on Tannu, I had to marry my daughter to a dog." A local reportedly explained, "If the child is born with joint teeth, it's a sign of bad omen which harms the fortunes of the child. So, a girl who takes out joint teeth is bound to marry a dog ... We are performing all the rituals that take place in a real marriage. We perform all rituals with full enjoyment and commitment." The tradition is that a baby girl gets married to a dog and baby boy to a young cat. Traditional marriage customs and celebrations are the same as for real marriages. [4]

• February 2004 - a seventy five year old man from Kathmandu Nepal married a dog "in a local custom" of his Tharu community, attended by his son and other relatives. [5]

The Santals are a tribal people of India, residing mainly in states of Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal. ... This article is on Calcutta/Kolkata, the city. ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog is a mammal in the order Carnivora. ... now. ... Drum carried by John Unger, Company B, 40th Regiment New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Mozart Regiment, December 20, 1863 Several American Indian-style drums for sale at the National Museum of the American Indian. ... Spirits redirects here. ... The term Western World or the West can have multiple meanings depending on its context. ... Press is a general term having a number of related meanings stemming from the original definition of pressing as the physical action of applying force: Things relating to Metalworking: Machine press, a machine that shapes material by the application of pressure; Flypress, a machine that cuts material by pressing with... The term adult describes any mature organism, but normally it refers to a human: one that is no longer a child / minor and is now either a man or a woman. ... // Two Tamil girls in Tiruvannamalai. ... http://www. ... | state_name=Jharkhand | | capital=Ranchi | latd = 23. ... Types of teeth Molars are used for grinding up foods Carnassials are used for slicing food. ... Look up CAT, cat, Cat in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Kathmandu (Nepali: काठमाडौं, Nepal Bhasa: यें) is the capital city of Nepal and it is also the largest city in Nepal. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Dolphin

• December 2005 - forty one year old Sharon Tendler of Great Britain unofficially married Cindy, a male dolphin held at the Dolphin Reef dolphinarium in Eilat, Israel, in a ceremony where she offered fish and the dolphin 'kissed' her. She had been visiting Cindy regularly for the past fifteen years. Tendler requested permission from the dolphin's trainer for the "wedding". The marriage, painted romantically by the media, was in her words considered "a bit of fun" after her friends joked about her being single at that age. (See: Cindy the Dolphin)

Genera See article below. ... Dolphinarium is a great aquarium for dolphins. ... North Beach, Eilat, from southwest North Beach, Eilat, from east Eilat (Hebrew אֵילַת, Standard Hebrew Elat, Eylat), pop. ... This refers to the act performed on a special occasion. ... A giant grouper at the Georgia Aquarium Fish are aquatic vertebrates that are typically cold-blooded; covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. ... The Kiss by Francesco Hayez, 19th century. ... Cinderella (c. ...

Goat

• February 2006 - a Sudanese man caught having sex with a neighbour's goat, was ordered by the council of elders to pay the neighbour a dowry of 5,000 Sudanese dinars ($50) and marry the animal. [6]

Species See Species and subspecies The goat is a mammal in the genus Capra, which consists of nine species: the Ibex, the West Caucasian Tur, the East Caucasian Tur, the Markhor, and the Wild Goat. ... An elder can refer to various topics: Elder (administrative title) Elder (religious) Elder - person of knowledge or high degree Elderberry plant (Sambucus) Box-elder plant (maple) Box elder bug (Leptocoris trivittatus or Boisea trivittatus) Elderly person - see: Old age William Henry Elder bishop and Archbishop of Cincinnati Joycelyn Elders Elder... A dowry (also known as trousseau) is a gift of money or valuables given by the brides family to the grooms at the time of their marriage. ...

Snake

• June 2006 - an Indian woman from Bhubaneswar, Orissa, who "who fell in love with a snake", married the reptile at a "traditional Hindu wedding celebrated by 2,000 guests". She claimed a bond of understanding of a kind existed between the two. The woman had previously been ill, and recovered upon offering the snake milk, during which time she fell in love. She later "converted to the animal-loving vegetarian Vaishnav sect whose local elders gave her permission to marry the cobra." [7]

Konark Horse in Roundabout Bhubaneswar   population 10 lakhs (Hindi: भुवनेश्वर - in Sanskrit and Oriya/oDiA, The Lord of the Universe) or the temple city of India is a city located on the eastern coast of India. ... By: Rabindra Kumar Maharana Orissa   (Devanagari: उड़ीसा) is a state situated in the east coast of India. ... A Vaishnavite is a follower of Vaishnavism, a monotheistic faith which believes in Vishnu as the supreme God. ... Egyptian Cobra Cobras are venomous snakes of family Elapidae, of several genera. ...

Advocacy and support groups, and related topics

Advocacy is an umbrella term for organized activism related to a particular set of issues. ...

Folklore, myth, and popular culture

• A Korean folktale, sometimes known as The Silkworm, tells how silk originated following the King's daughter spiritually marrying a horse, in completion of a promise made in times of trouble. In the tale, the princess was reborn as a silkworm, a creature whose appearance and mannerisms superficially were said to resemble that of a horse. (From Chonsol Ttara Samch'olli, retold by Heinz Insu Fenkl) [8] [9]
• A Cheyenne myth "The Girl who married a Dog", states that the group of seven stars known as the Pleiades originated from seven puppies which a Cheyenne chief's daughter gave birth to after mysteriously being visited by a dog in human form to whom she vowed "Wherever you go, I go". [10] [11]
• In the last episode of the sitcom Punky Brewster, Brandon marries a dog named Brenda. [12]
• The Cree people of Waskaganish Canada tell the tale of "The Girl and the Dog", in which a girl living alone is visited by a talking dog who she jestingly agrees to marry. The dog hunted for her and she had a hybrid offspring. Finally the woman had human visitors, and resolved to marry one of them, and was killed by the dog in her sleep, out of jealousy. [13] (told by John Blackned)
• One Inuit origin-myth states that the human races originated from the offspring of a girl who married a dog. [14]

Silk weaver Silk is a natural protein fibre, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. ... Cheyenne lodges with buffalo meat drying, 1870 For other uses, see Cheyenne (disambiguation). ... The Pleiades are an open cluster dominated by hot blue stars surrounded by reflection nebulosity A shorter exposure shows less nebulosity. ... German Shepherd puppy at 8 weeks old. ... A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... Punky Brewster was a popular sitcom in the 1980s. ... The Cree are an indigenous people of North America whose people range from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean in both Canada and the United States. ... Waskaganish is a Cree village of about 2000 people on the south-east shore of James Bay in the municipality of Baie-James, Quebec, Canada. ... // In biology, hybrid has two meanings. ... In biology, offspring are the product of reproduction, a new organism produced by one or more parents. ... Sleep is the state of natural rest observed in most mammals, birds, fish, as well as invertebrates such as the fruitfly Drosophila. ... For other uses, see Inuit (disambiguation). ...

Religions' and traditions' views

Ceremonies and rituals

See also

• Marriage
• Animal love
• Loving relationship
• Long-term relationship
• Affectional bond
• Exogamy
• Speciesism
• Anthrozoology
• Zoophilia

Matrimony redirects here. ... Animals seem to return the affection shown to them by their humans. ... An intimate relationship is a interpersonal relationship where there is a great deal of physical or emotional intimacy. ... A relationship whether it be romantic or friendly, which has lasted, subjectively, a long period of time. ... In psychology, the term affectional bond is a type of attachment behavior one individual has for another individual, typically a mother for her child, in which the two partners tend to remain in proximity to one another. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... The relevance of particular information in (or previously in) this article or section is disputed. ... Anthrozoology is the study of human-animal interaction, also described as the science focusing on all aspects of the human-animal bond. ... Leda and the Swan, a 16th century copy after a lost painting by Michelangelo. ...

External links