The animal rights organization (Friends of Animals) has been leading a fierce campaign to criminalize this act. They argue that the current laws treat animals as property, where sexual abuse is sometimes processed merely as "maltreatment" or "damaging property" rather than a serious sexual offense. The organization demands that sexual abuse of animals be recognized as a specific criminal offense comparable to pedophilia. Their proposal suggests prison sentences ranging from 5 to 15 years for perpetrators. The activists argue: " Sud ne bi trebao dokazivati patnju, već je sam čin spolnog odnosa sa životinjom kazneno djelo, baš kao što je to i spolni odnos s malim djetetom " (The court should not have to prove suffering; the act of sexual intercourse with an animal itself should be a crime, just as it is with a child).